Our Fathers' Legacy
by Rehearsed Rain
Summary: *Permanent Hiatus* The Next Generation kids struggle to escape from their families' shadows and create their own story. However, prejudiced thoughts get in the way and old rivalries surface. Mostly friendfic that depicts Rose, Scorpius, and Albus' first year at Hogwarts.
1. In Passing They Judge

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: This is my first fan fiction, so I'm sort of iffy about it. Please review!

Our Fathers' Legacy

Chapter One: In Passing They Judge

"**Perhaps we have been misguided into taking too much responsibility from our children, leaving them too little room for discovery."~Helen Hays**

The Weasley family had arrived at King's Cross Station only minutes before the Potter's. Ron, leading the way while pushing his daughter's trolley, grinned as he felt the stares of the other wizarding families around them. His wife, Hermione, being more of a modest person, nodded simply to the few she knew from her work at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Holding her hands on both sides were their two children, Rose, red hair slightly more curly than her mother's was at her age, and Hugo, whose similarly red hair took more after his father's, tending to droop in his face and over his deceivingly innocent brown eyes…

Rose stumbled as she tried to keep up with her parents and brother. She had yet to hit her growth spurt that her mum insisted _was _going to come in time, and felt somewhat mortified that she was shorter than her nine year old brother. However, she made up for that fact by her mature appearance and dignified speech. She had, as her dad boasted, inherited her mum's brains.

The experience with the barrier to the train station had left her a little shaken, seeing as she had expected to run into a wall and embarrass herself in front of the whole Muggle-filled station. If there was anything besides the hair that she had inherited from her dad, it was the famous Weasley temper. If she _had_ run into a plain old wall because her dad had played a prank on her, he wouldn't be laughing when she started putting him in his place in front of his wife, son, and dozens of Muggles. Thinking back, she found that she had actually wanted the argument to happen. They were really quite fun.

"C'mon, kids!" her dad boomed loudly, for all the world to hear. "Let's find your Aunt and Uncle."

"And Lily!" Hugo squeaked in his excited voice. She was pretty sure by now that he practiced those in his room just to entertain people, because they always got a laugh whenever he changed it.

"And James and Albus," she added. Her brother had a crush on their cousin, Lily Luna, since he was five. She thought it was disgusting, but her mum and dad and Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny all laughed it off. They were related, for Merlin's sake!

"Yeah, yeah, them too," her dad said dismissively.

They finally stopped walking when they reached the side of the platform and her dad handed her her trunk. He took Hestia, her female barn owl, and went to place her next to the other animals to be loaded. She had gotten Hestia for her eleventh birthday to celebrate receiving her acceptance letter to Hogwarts and, in her mum's case, to 'write to us every week-no! At least twice a week, more if you feel like it. You understand, Rosie?' She had sobbed then and went on and on and on about how big her baby girl was getting and that soon she'll leave her and all she'll have is Rose's dad and how he's barely home anyway…and so on.

And now they waited as her dad came back and watched out for any sign of their red-and-black-haired Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. Her dad seemed the most excited, though Hugo didn't look too far behind, and her mum looked like a strange mixture of overly happy and terribly sad. She swore she had just seen her wiping away a tear and grinning at the same time. And herself, well, she felt like she would rather go jump in the Black Lake with the giant squid than be here right now.

All she knew for certain was that if she was sorted into any House other than Gryffindor, she'd faint. Her dad had told her over and over, jokingly, her mum said, that if she wasn't, he'd disinherit her. And even though she _knew _her dad was a kidder, she couldn't shake off the feeling of what would happen if she did end up in Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, or…oh, Merlin, _Slytherin_. She _knew_ that if she was sorted into _that_ House she would be disowned before she was even able to owl her dad to tell him the news.

Her mum would no doubt accept it and act as if it was a great honor to be in any House, even if it wasn't the honorable Gryffindor House, home of the brave. But she shuddered to think what the rest of her family would say.

She admitted being sorted into Ravenclaw wouldn't be horrible. In fact, it would be interesting to be around people of equal intelligence. And Hufflepuff couldn't be _too_ bad…

Before she could sort through any more of her nervous thoughts, she heard a voice break through the vapor. "I think that's them, Al," her Aunt Ginny's voice said.

Beaming at each other, herself, her mum, dad, and Hugo, stepped through the smoke to the welcome sight of our relatives.

"Hi," Al, the middle cousin, greeted shyly, even though they saw him almost three hundred days out of a year.

"Hey, Al," Rose said back, beaming at him. She had always had the best relationship with Al out of her three cousins, even though she loved them all the same. They just saw more eye-to-eye, she supposed, being the same age and all.

She heard her uncle and dad begin to talk proudly about driving their Muggle cars as she leaped forward to pull Al into a huge hug. Thankfully it took its usual effect and soothed at least some of her nerves. It probably also helped that he appeared as anxious as she was.

"Nervous, Al?" she asked as she hugged little Lily who, although being her brother's age, was, mercifully, shorter than her. She stepped back from Lily to see Hugo hugging Al in a not-so manly way and Al's embarrassed face and giggled.

He laughed awkwardly and started trying to detach himself from Hugo. "Uh…ow! Hugo, not so tight! Oh, uh…yeah, I guess I am. I mean…Hugo!...Aren't you?" He grunted when Hugo finally let go and launched himself at a shrieking Lily.

She suddenly felt the urge to snort at the absurd question. "No, Al. I'm not a complete bundle of nerves waiting to be disinherited because I didn't make it into Gryffindor," she stated sarcastically.

He looked at her with wide eyes, then blushed. "Oh, right. 'Course you're not…"

She sighed. Sometimes her cousin wasn't the quickest to catch on. "Al! Of course I'm nervous! How could I not be?"

His blush only deepened when he realized his mistake. "Sorry," he muttered, looking around the platform instead of at her eyes. She sighed again and stood at his side, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"You know it doesn't matter to your family whether you're in Gryffindor or not, Al. They love you all the same. Besides," she added with false cheeriness, "you're so brave, how could they _not _place you in Gryffindor?"

He smiled lightly as he watched Lily and Hugo having a similar, but more animated debate. "Yeah, thanks, Rosie," he said with a flat tone, but she knew hearing the words come from her helped him, just as his words had helped her a hundred times over. But she knew from experience that even a million times wouldn't be enough.

They came back to the present when they heard her dad say, "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you…but no pressure."

She imagined they probably looked like a mirror images, her and her cousin, as they both paled considerably at the words. Rose dropped her arm from his shoulders and listened to her mum screech at her dad for saying such terrible things.

Her dad, however, paid no mind as he suddenly bumped Uncle Harry with his elbow and pointed across the platform. "Look who it is," he muttered in obvious dislike. They all followed his outstretched hand to the other side of the platform. Situated there, a pale man with the lightest blond hair Rose had ever seen and wearing very formal black and gray clothes stood with his arm around a beautiful woman. She recognized her, and after a moment remembered seeing her on the front cover of Witch Weekly-plenty of times, actually. She was a very beautiful, famous woman who Rose knew now to be Astoria Malfoy, previously of the Greengrass family. She wore a lovely red dress that could have fit in at a formal banquet, but looked extremely casual on her. It complemented her wavy gold air that literally shined, even in the small, smoky platform.

In front of them, with his back her family, stood a boy who could be around her age. He appeared to have his father's hair, as far as she could tell from looking at the back of his head. He also wore somewhat formal wear and seemed to be even taller than her cousin James, who had hit his growth spurt earlier than most boys his age.

The boy's father looked up then, along with his smiling wife, and caught Rose's uncle's eye. His eyes seemed to widen and he looked a little shocked, and, though she could guess, she wondered why he would have such a reaction. His cheeks even appeared to darken as he gave a small, almost jerky nod.

His son, noticing the nod, turned around, following his parents' gaze. He also looked surprised to see us, but quickly exchanged the look for an emotionless mask. Rose was taken aback by the suddenness of it, and found herself staring into his cold grey eyes-that looked right back into hers. She blushed deeply and looked away, only to peek up again to take in his angular face. It could have been called almost pointy, but for the softness that surrounded the other areas. She could tell he got his unnatural beauty from his mother. Sadly, he seemed to pick up his father's personality, and, passing the moment, he straightened his back, looked Rose once more in the eyes in that unsettling way, and turned his full attention back to his parents.

Rose blinked. Of course she had heard all about the infamous Malfoy family from her father. He even made her and her brother's bedtime stories featuring Lucius Malfoy as the star Death Eater occasionally. He had warned them, especially Rose, that the whole family was good for nothing, Dark followers. And, silently, she agreed with him, because she knew that her mum was against prejudiced things like that. She knew that every story he told them was true, and had no idea how the former Death Eater family had gotten off with little more than a few smacks to the back of their hands with a ruler. Thinking this, a disgusted scowl appeared on her face.

"So that's little Scorpius," her dad said. "Make sure you beat him at every test, Rosie."

Rose nodded. There was no way in hell she was letting the son of a Death Eater, even a former one, best her at anything.

"Er, Rose?" she heard Al whisper beside her as her mum began reprimanding her dad again. "Are you okay? You're face has gone all screwy, like you've eaten a bad Lemon Drop."

Blushing, she immediately dropped her scowl. Laughing uncomfortably, she said, "Uh, no, I'm alright, Al. Sorry to worry you."

Al squinted at Rose, like he does when he knows someone's lying, but fortunately shrugged and dropped it. "Right."

Rose shot one more glance at the Malfoy family, glaring in particular at the boy, Scorpius, before looking back to the rest of her family. She watched in amusement as James came running up and eagerly recalled seeing '_our _Teddy' snogging '_our_ Victoire.' Then her mum, Lily, and Aunt Ginny started cooing and saying how wonderful it would be if they got _married_. Rose snorted. There was no way in hell Teddy was going to get married at nineteen. Especially since everyone knew he and Victoire only had an on-again, off-again relationship. Who knew what would happen, now that Victoire was still in her seventh year and Teddy was looking for a job.

Grinning, Uncle Harry checked the watch that had belonged to Grandma Weasley's deceased brother, Fabian Prewett. "It's almost eleven, kids. You should be boarding soon."

"Give Neville our love!" Aunt Ginny told James, kissing him on the head before he could break away.

Rose grimaced. There was a downside to having an awfully big, social family.

James bickered with his mum for a few moments before kicking Al brotherly and saying, in his annoying, immature way, "Watch out for the thestrals, Al." He winked and laughed as Al yelled back at him in a panic. He let his mum get in one more kiss before getting on the filling train.

Laughing also, Rose grabbed Hugo in a final, breath-stealing hug, gave another to her dad and Lily, and kissed her mum on the cheek. "See you at Christmas!" she yelled as she too jumped onto the train, waving good-bye to Aunt Ginny and to Uncle Harry, who Rose could now see was kneeling before a frozen Al.

Sighing for what she was pretty sure was the tenth time today, Rose turned her back and prayed that her uncle could talk some sense into her cousin-though she knew she was no better.

Rose soon discovered that finding a compartment on the Hogwarts Express that was either empty or had at least some people she knew in it was exceedingly hard. First of all, she had to lug a twenty pound trunk behind her while trying not to trip over her own feet. Second, she had to avoid bumping into all of the tall seventh years who seemed to find it amusing to roam an overflowing train before others had settled down. And third, she was sweating like a pig.

She knew she should have left her Chudley Canons hoodie in her trunk, but _no_! Her dad had to insist that she show her team colors in support of their waning season. In all honesty, and though Rose would never admit it to her dad, she was more of a Puddlemere United fan anyway.

Thankfully, finally, she came across a compartment that was emptier than all the rest. Not completely empty, sadly, but she was always told to work with what she could get.

So she slid the door open with some difficulty, and greeted the person inside.

"Hi…um, I'm Rose Weasley. I was wondering if I could sit here, since everywhere else seems kind of full?"

The compartment's occupant, a boy, Rose noticed, turned his head from looking out the window and peered at her. She, in turn, studied him.

He was of average height-still taller than herself-and was a little on the heavy side. He had saggy blonde-brown hair, and dark blue eyes that almost resembled a shade of purple. His expression was curious, but not uninviting.

"Hi," he said softly. Rose guessed he was shy. "I'm Julius. Julius Greengrass." He smiled at her and at that moment, she decided I liked him.

Rose beamed back at him. "Hi, Julius. It's good to meet you."

His eyes widened cutely. "Oh, uh…" he stuttered, "y-you too…"

"Rose."

Now he grinned. "You too, Rose. And no, I don't mind if you sit here. In fact, do you need help with your trunk?"

Before she could reply, he was already lifting her trunk up onto the shelf above the seat. She noticed that there were actually two trunks there instead of one, but decided not to ask. She smiled and thanked him, sitting in the seat across from the one he had fallen back onto, and pulled off her large hoodie.

"So. Is this your first year here?" she asked him, putting the hoodie to the side and combing her fingers through her knotted bright red curls.

He blushed. "Ah, no." He laughed lightly. "It's actually my third year going here. I just look sort of small for my age."

Now it was her turn to blush. Despite his size, she could only imagine what her overprotective cousins would say if they even saw her _talking_ to an older boy. "Merlin, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to sound rude or anything-"

Julius smiled reassuringly. "No problem, I get it a lot."

They sat in silence for a while, not exactly awkward, but not particularly relaxed either. Rose looked out the compartment window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her family among the horde of parents. Eventually, she saw the telltale red hair of her aunt and dad and slid open the window. Checking her new watch quickly and seeing that the time was 11:49, she hurriedly, trying not to wonder what Julius would think of her after, stuck her upper body out the window and hollered, "Mum! Dad! Uncle Harry! Aunt Ginny! Lily! Hugo!" in quick succession.

Rose was delighted to see that their eyes immediately found her, and they began waving back. She laughed when she saw her dad pick up Hugo and Uncle Harry pick up Lily and hoisted them onto their shoulders. When she saw their little, slightly toothless grins, she laughed even louder and waved again.

Suddenly, she heard the train's horn blow and yelled before it started moving, "I'll miss you!"

She continued waving for as long as she could when the train pulled into motion until voice behind her said, "You may want to get back in now." She did what was suggested, a little breathless, and found a grinning Julius looking back at her.

"I know you now," he said excitedly. "You're related to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger! And _the _Harry Potter! I don't know how I didn't put it together before!"

Rose blushed-Merlin, again? "Well, yeah, I guess I am…Well! I know that you're related to Astoria Malfoy in some way…" And then it finally processed through her mind and she wanted to groan. Julius was related to a Malfoy. It didn't matter if he was directly related or not, he was, in some way, shape, or form, related to a Malfoy.

Suddenly panicked, Rose said shakily, "L-look, I have to go find my f-family now, so I guess I'll see you…later…" She stood hastily from her seat and reached upward, grabbing unsuccessfully for her trunk.

Julius, frowning, walked up, and easily pulled it down. "Right, okay. Here's your trunk and all…" He trailed off and a guilty feeling began to fill her stomach, but she pushed it back down as quickly as it had come up. She knew her dad would kill her if he knew she was talking to someone related to his childhood enemy.

"Right, okay," she parroted. "Thanks." Grabbing her trunk from his hands, she dashed from the compartment as quickly as she could.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Rose started searching the aisles for anyone she knew, but found them eerily deserted. Noise, however, erupted loudly from every compartment or so where the students were being especially rowdy. She felt nosy peering into them, but if she wanted to find her family, she would have to live with it.

She was on the verge of giving up and sitting on her trunk in the corridor when she heard fast, inelegant footsteps behind her, practically running. Spinning around and hoping for a friendly face-she found exactly the opposite.

"Late for something, Malfoy?" Rose spat maliciously.

The blonde boy in question raised his eyebrow, making him look just as pompous as her dad said his father was-and still is. "Not particularly, Weasley," he returned curtly, his hands pulling unconsciously at his fancy shirt. She wanted to laugh at his action, but held it in check. _Apparently he's as obsessed with his appearance as his father was, too, _she thought.

When he didn't immediately move, she stepped back so that she was pushing against one of the aisle walls and gestured to the way he had been heading and the way she had come. "Well," she said rudely, "are you going or not?"

His eyes widened slightly, and she could have sworn she had seen a blush. _Ha, that's right. A Weasley just upped you within the _first_ minute of our _first_ conversation, Malfoy. How d'you like them apples? "_Uh, right, I guess I will then." He took a hesitant step forward, eyeing her as though he thought she was going to trip him on the first chance she got-which she dearly wanted to do. It was then that she noticed he had a slight limp.

He seemed to think about something, then paused completely, turning his body to look her in the eye, one foot still in front of the other, now obviously favoring his right leg. "Are you going to sit out here the whole train ride?"

"Well I certainly wouldn't sit with you, if that's what you're insinuating!"

He shook his head, looking amused, and she suddenly wondered what those arrogant, sparkling grey eyes-_wait, what? Sparkling? Get it together, Weasley!-_would look like when his head was on a pike-_ah, much better_. Well, maybe that was too barbaric, but it was just a thought.

"No," he said, "I was just wondering why you would be sitting in the corridor when you're entire clan is just a compartment down."

Now, as her cheeks burned with both anger and embarrassment and she stuttered for a response, he looked like he wanted to laugh. Smiling, he waved mockingly and walked-limped, rather-away without saying another word. She had the urge to rip out her wand and hit him with a Bat-Bogey hex that Aunt Ginny had taught her, but calmed herself before she managed to bag a detention on the first day of school. She would never live _that_ down.

Groaning, she stretched her overworked arm muscles and dragged her trunk behind her once again, stepping up to the compartment Malfoy had pointed out. Pulling the door open, she at once recognized her…unique…family.

The compartment was already packed, as she could see from her spot in the doorway. Although six people could easily be seated in one, James had decided to stretch out his feet on the seat, thus taking up two and a half spots instead of one. Squished between his brother's feet and the wall, an uncomfortable-but more chipper than she had seen on the platform-Al sat. He grinned weakly when he saw Rose, which she returned with a bit more enthusiasm.

On the other side of the compartment sat, terribly squished together, her oldest cousin-older than her by six years-Victoire, and her sister, the almost-fifteen year old Dominique-who was almost sitting in her lap. Beside Dominique was her brother, Louis, who was entering his third year at Hogwarts. Rose wondered if he knew Julius…

Next to Louis was Molly. They were talking quietly but ardently with each other, not really paying attention to the others around them. Molly and Louis were particularly close because they were in the same year, and the same house.

And finally, talking animatedly to James about some prank they were going to pull on Professor Zabini, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Head of the Slytherin House, was Fred. Fred and James, being the same age, had been fellow pranksters all last year.

Raising her eyebrows, Rose kicked Fred's outstretched legs out of her way and said, gesturing to her trunk, "A little help here?" When no one moved, she kicked Fred again, looking pointedly at him and not caring if she was interrupting his and James' mastermind plan.

He glared at her. "Watch it, Rosie, your feet are pointy!" he whined and stuck out his tongue. She smirked and, while he was putting her trunk on the rungs above, stole his seat.

James and Albus snickered-until Fred went over and sat on James' legs. Then Al burst out laughing and James gave a very loud, undignified yelp. "Fred! Get off my damn legs!"

Victoire swatted at him "Language," she tutted, and then they all had to snicker because they knew how much of a sailor's mouth Vicky had.

Rose grinned at Al across from her, leaned forward, and asked, "Are you alright now?"

Al smiled back at her. "Peachy keen," he reassured.

"Well," Fred exclaimed loudly, still perched painfully atop James' legs, "You're a pretty nervous peach if you ask me! And I've seen a ton of peaches!" Fred was a little…eccentric, at times.

"Shut up, Fred," Rose snapped. "Like you weren't nervous in your first year."

"I wasn't! I was the essence of cool, the king of calmness, the dictator of-"

"-nerves?" Dominique offered darkly. She was always a bit moody nowadays. They were pretty sure she was going through a goth-stage. "You looked like Satan would rise up from Hell to personally sort you into Slytherin."

They all paused, staring at her. "Well, not exactly Satan…"Fred said, breaking the silence, "but I did think I was going to have to battle a beast like an Acromantula or something…Not that that would be hard for me, anyway! I could kill a hundred of those things in one go!"

"Don't tell Hagrid that," Al said warningly. "You know how much he loves those creepy blighters." We all shuddered, thinking back to how her dad and Uncle Harry had barely escaped from the huge arachnids in the Forbidden Forest.

"Besides," Molly said, joining the conversation for the first time, "you don't even know the spell to use against them."

"Wha-" Fred stuttered. "Sure I do! It's that one with the two words, relatively latin…"

"It's _arania exime, _Fred," Rose volunteered.

Fred whined, "_Rose_! I was just gonna say that.

"Yeah, right, Fred," Louis said, standing up to help James get Fred off of his legs.

James put in, "You fell asleep in DADA every day last year, how would you possibly know?"

Resigned, Fred pushed at Louis and mumbled, "I could have.

Rose, holding in a laugh, turned back to Al and reached over to take his hand. "You sure you're okay?"

Al gave a playful groan. "Yes, Merlin! I'm fine, alright? I just…needed to get over some doubts back there."

Rose smiled at him. "If you say so…"

"…Thanks, Rosie."

"No problem, Al."

"Aaaaaww! So cute!" Fred exclaimed, finally climbing off James' legs-to James and Louis' relief-to pull us both into a hug.

Pushing him off, Rose moved to the other side of the compartment and pushed her older Potter cousin's feet aside so that she could sit next to Al. Winking at him, she said, "Oh, Freddie? Do you think you could get a book out of my trunk for me? It should be near the top, it's the new Hogwarts, A History."

Grimacing, Fred did what his cousin wanted of him. "Sod off, Rose. You're almost as much of a downer as Domi these days."

Dominique hit him with her shoe. In the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Shut up, Fred," they chorused.

Snickering, Rose turned when Al poked her in the side. "Hey, Rose?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's your Canons hoodie?"


	2. Miscalculations of Influential Debate

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N:As you'll figure out soon enough, the POVs in my story are going to be mainly three people: Rose, Scorpius, and Albus, since it is based on their first year and all. This chapter basically covers Scorpius' views on the platform, explains his limp in the previous chapter, and shows him interacting with Julius. Please review!

Chapter Two: Miscalculations of Influential Debate

"**Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."~George Soros**

"Fath-dad," Scorpius whispered, "what if I'm not in Slytherin? What if I end up in some other House? What if I _do_ end up in Slytherin? What if-"

"Scorpius," his father cut him off, taking him gently by the arm. "Neither your mum, nor I will mind whatsoever if you end up in any of the other Houses."

Scorpius gulped. "Well, yes, I know that, but what about grandmother and…grandfather?"

His father's gaze darkened and he squeezed his son's arm more firmly than he had previously. "You're grandparents have had enough say in your life thus far. If they put up any argument as to which House you end up in, they will have to speak with me. What will be done will be done, and there is no way that they could possibly influence that. Understand?"

Scorpius closed his eyes for a moment, but nodded. "Yes, fath-dad…" He had had to catch himself again. His father had explicitly told him that he didn't want his son calling him what he had called his own father. He told Scorpius that it brought up too many memories that were better buried and forgotten. "I understand."

His father gave him a small smile, but it quickly dissipated. "But…" His father sighed. "I don't want to worry you, Scorpius, but…you know your grandfather has a temper. If he makes and contact with you that you deem threatening-no, any contact at all during your stay at Hogwarts, I want you to owl me right after.

"I also want you to take extra tutoring sessions during the year."

Scorpius started. "Extra tutoring? But fa-_dad_, why would I need that? Is there something I should be worried about?"

"Not particularly, Scorpius." Draco and his son looked up as his wife came up behind him and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder. "At least not yet. But we all know how dedicated you are to learning. If anything, it'll be good for you. You're a Malfoy, you're meant to rise above the rest."

Scorpius smiled. "Alright, mum-" he had no trouble calling her mum, instead of mother "-I'll try my best. But I don't think I really have the essence of the Malfoy Code in me. I think I'd rather make it up as I go along." He sighed and ran his hand through his already messy blonde hair, a trait he had picked up from his balding – _thinning_ – father whenever he was deeply in thought..

Smiling, his mother knelt before him, ignoring his protest that she would get her dress dirty, and combed her own soft, dainty hands through his hair. Now it was his father's turn to stand back as his wife took over the situation.

"Scorpius," his mum said, pride so obvious in her voice he was startled for a moment. "You're such a lovely boy. You're all a mother could ask for and more. Except I didn't have to ask, and I never would have. Your father and I wanted you to grow up being you own person, and that's exactly what you did. You make us so proud. And if I'm wrong in any sense that you're not the sweetest, smartest, most determined boy your age, than I take back everything I just said and suffer the consequences of having a very deceiving son.

"But I have an overwhelming sense that I'm not."

Scorpius smiled affectionately. "I understand, mother." His mother raised one of her perfect eyebrows. "Mum," he corrected.

Astoria Malfoy stood up from the kneeling position and wiped her hands over her dress to get off the collected dirt and dust. "Merlin," Scorpius' father said, "I sure picked one, didn't I, Scorpius?" He kissed his wife warmly and settled his arm around her shoulder.

"We've arranged for one of your professors to teach you during the school year," Astoria informed him. "He's agreed that with your current situation, it would be wise for you to learn something more than the regular curriculum usually taught at Hogwarts." She paused and shared a worried look with her husband. "And we're not saying that anything bad will happen, we just want you to be prepared if something does."

Scorpius nodded. "I know, mum." He stepped onto his tiptoes to kiss her on the cheek. "And who will be instructing me?"

His father frowned. "Someone I…knew from when I was in school. He's the Herbology professor now. Neville Longbottom."

"Neville Longbottom?" Scorpius asked in surprise. "You mean the Longbottom whose parents Great Aunt Bellatrix – "

"Yes, that one."

Scorpius had heard of him. Neville Longbottom, born on the same day as famous Harry Potter. His parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom had matched the prophecy made long ago by thrice defying the Dark Lord. For this fact, Scorpius' grandmother's sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, had gone to their home and tortured them for hours, until finally they had been driven mad by the pain. To this day the Longbottoms were still residents of St. Mungos.

"And he doesn't mind?" Scorpius asked. It had been his family who had caused Longbottom to lose his, after all.

"No, thank Merlin. Longbottom has never been much of a prejudiced person, and he likes to believe in second chances." Scorpius thought his father looked like he wanted to roll his eyes, but didn't. "And he sees you as an innocent, so I'm sure he wouldn't pass up a chance to make you safer at Hogwarts than you already are."

Scorpius wasn't exactly sure how he felt about this arrangement yet. Needless to say he wasn't thrilled to be taking lessons from a possible hostile, no matter what his father had reassured. "What about Uncle Blaise? Couldn't he teach me instead?" he asked hopefully.

But his father was already shaking his head and his mother was looking on in slight disapproval. She had never been particularly fond of his father's childhood friend. "No, your godfather, along with most of the people in Slytherin, never learned more than the standard courses, because none of us ever partook in Potter's little tutoring sessions." Draco's lip pulled back, remembering the trouble his old enemy had put him through when he used to run around the school along with the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad searching for the place the other Houses were sneaking off to to be taught by Potter. Thinking back, he wished he had been less self-absorbed and had been to one of the lessons himself, because he knew how much it would have helped to know even a portion of what Potter had taught-even if at the time he would have most likely used it on the side of the Dark instead of the Light.

"But what they learned was very useful," Draco continued, "and he wouldn't have been the best teacher to learn from anyway. He may be able to teach a couple classes a day, but if it's just a one on one session, I shudder to think of what his bizarre teaching methods could be."

Scorpius nodded. He knew his uncle was a bit on the unusual side, something he no doubt picked up from his strange mother. "Alright. I'll learn with Professor Longbottom." Placing the magically heated basket he had been carrying on the ground by his father, occupied by his Black Kingsnake, Pandora, given to him and named by his grandfather, he began reaching for his trunk when he noticed his father stiffen. "What-?" he asked, confused with his father's odd behavior when Draco gave a small, jerky nod in the direction of the other side of the platform. Turning around to follow his father's gaze, he was unsurprised to see the Potter/Weasley family staring back at them.

To one side, he saw the youngest of the clan chatting obliviously with each other. Next to them stood the Weasley-Grangers (he knew that the wife, Hermione Granger, had kept her last name through the marriage), Ron Weasley and his wife. Weasley stared at them with cold malice while Granger had a small, discomfited smile on her face. Beside them stood the Potters, Harry and Ginevra. Potter had a similar look to Weasley's, though it was more cold than malicious, and his wife's face was set in obvious dislike, though Scorpius was strangely relieved to see that there was no hatred there.

Lastly, slightly away from the adults, stood the Potter and Weasley he knew to be his age. The Potter, a nervous-looking black-haired boy with his father and, as he had been told, grandmother's striking green eyes, stood looking as uncomfortable and anxious as hell. Scorpius pitied the boy that he didn't have the talent he himself possessed of hiding his emotions.

The Weasley girl was…beautiful. With her shining dark red, vaguely frizzy curls and dark brown eyes-Earth tones that worked extremely well for her. Like her cousin, she also looked terribly nervous and instead of pity, Scorpius felt the distinct urge to rush across the platform to comfort her. Staring, he blushed lightly when he noticed her looking straight back at him. He watched as she blushed deeply and lowered her eyes promptly.

He saw her father say something to her and watched in confusion as she nodded and a scowl appeared on her face. Taken aback, he swiftly turned to his parents and, to pass the moment, nudged Pandora's basket with his foot, sticking his hands into his pockets. For the first time in his life, he felt _bashful_. "Um…h-here's Pandora, father-ah, dad." He cleared his throat. "So I'll see you both at Christmas?"

His father nodded, unaware of his son's change in mood and glad to be shaken out of his own. "See you at Christmas," he agreed, pulling his son in for a short hug. "Thank Longbottom for me while you're there, alright? And tell him…tell him I'm sorry for all the things I've done in the past to him."

Scorpius' mother took his father's hand. "Maybe that's best said in a letter, Draco. Not through your son," she suggested softly.

Draco nodded. "You're right, Astoria, of course." He glanced at the large clock situated on the platform wall behind them. To his son, he said, "You better get on board soon, if you want to avoid everyone else getting in the way. I remember how much of a hassle that was."

Scorpius agreed and kissed his mother for the second time on the cheek. "Good-bye, mum. I'll see you on the holidays."

As he pulled away, his mother leaned down and whispered in his ear, "She's very pretty, isn't she?" Pulling back with a knowing smile, she winked and pushed him on his way.

Flustered, he could only nod and wave.

He picked a compartment near the back of the train with little difficulty, knowing his cousin, Julius, liked to stay as far away from the Slytherins-who usually sat at the front of the train-as he could get.

He heaved his trunk up to the shelf above the seat and settled down for the wait. He was grateful to know that his cousin was just as punctual as he was, and soon arrived not long after himself.

"Scorp!" Julius exclaimed when he slid open the glass door clumsily and pulled his trunk in behind him. He hurled himself without delay at his younger cousin, beaming in very open joy.

Scorpius laughed and hugged him back. "Hey Jules! How've you been, mate?" Detaching himself, he sat back in his seat, watching Julius throw his trunk up effortlessly next to his. "Play any Quidditch this summer without me?"

"What?" Julius said in mock-disbelief, sitting in the seat opposite. "Quidditch without you? Never! You know my mum's terrible and Maggie's not old enough yet. You're the only one who offers a challenge. Even if I do beat you every time."

Julius was the oldest son of Astoria Malfoy's sister, Daphne Greengrass, previously married to Roger Davies, who she divorced after finding him with another woman, Cho Chang. Julius' younger sister, Margaret, was born shortly after and Daphne easily won the rights to her children.

"That is a _complete_ lie!" Scorpius argued. "But, you know, I bet Maggie will make a fair beater when she grows up. She hits hard enough for it."

"Yeah, she is a bit violent for her age, isn't she?"

Scorpius nodded, grinning. "Do you know if there are any new teachers this year? Father's told me that Blaise is still Head of Slytherin and Professor Longbottom is still there as well. I even have to take private lessons with him, because father wants me 'prepared' for…well, I'm not actually sure for what."

"Really?" his cousin asked in interest, clearly unconcerned about the seriousness of the situation. "That sounds exciting! I wish I could have private lessons with him, he's a great teacher." He paused for a moment. "I think there are new professors for Astronomy and History of Magic though, Teri Boot-he went to school with my mum!-and some lady with three last names…something with an F, I think."

"I guess it is sort of interesting," Scorpius agreed while taking a mental note to remember to find out what the new professor's name was. "But I can't imagine how I'll get all my assignments done _and_ take private lessons _and_ do the extra credit work in case I _don't_ get the assignments done in _top_ order-!"

"Whoa, Scorp!" his cousin asserted, raising his arms like one would to calm a distressed animal. "No need to panic, I'll help you out if you really need it, but I sincerely doubt you will. You're already reading things for fifth year curriculum in those confusing books of yours. I'm pretty sure you can handle a few assignment for first years."

"But what if I can't! That's what I'm saying. I'm not an expert at everything, I just…like to read."

Julius looked perplexed. "So those seven hundred paged informational books on how to brew Living Death and how to Stun in fifty different ways are all pleasure reads for you?" he said. He rubbed a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "Yeah, that's it. That's the reason behind your mastermindedness."

"Shut up, Jules," the embarrassed boy grumbled. "Mastermindedness isn't even a proper word." After a moment of silence, he added in exasperation, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Scorpius slipped out of the compartment, ignoring his cousin's apologies, and ruffled his hair and sighed. When he started walking, he realized he really was wondering how he would be able to fit everything he had to accomplish in his first year of Hogwarts into his schedule and succeed at them at the same time. It was a safe bet to say that he would be tired and overworked most of the time, but he knew he wouldn't back down. Not when it meant he could once again strengthen his family name.

Pushing through the crowd of people at last boarding the train and looking for an open compartment, he reached the small bathroom located at the front. Closing and locking the door, he stepped up to the mirror and ran his hands down his soft, pale face.

His nerves were getting to him, he knew, and he couldn't let that happen. He'd been through worse than this-much, much worse. He had the scars to prove it, though they were all safely hidden. Both physical and emotional. He was certain he could go through Hell and back and he'd be fine. So compared to that, what was so bad about _this_?

And suddenly he knew. A face-_her_ face-came into his head. It was contorted unattractively in dislike, and that dislike was centered at him. His stomach curled and he almost gagged at the sight in his mind. For some reason he wanted her approval, and he had no idea why-or how-to get it.

He could easily guess why she loathed him so much. Or loathed him and his family, rather. Being a Weasley he knew that her father would have loads of fascinating stories to share with her about his six years at Hogwarts being tormented by the son of a Death Eater and soon-to-be Death Eater himself. His father. And he was only too aware of how much he looked like him, with his strikingly white-blond hair and those cold grey eyes that no matter how hard he tried would stay seemingly emotionless throughout any experience he went through. He wondered what she had seen, looking straight into them. Hostility? Scorn? Hatred? Absolutely _nothing_?

Groaning, he ran the sink and splashed water on his face. He'd forget about it-her-eventually. He could and he would. It was as simple as that…_wasn't it?_

_Yes_, he told himself firmly, _it was._

He recalled all that his father had told him about the Potter/Weasley clan. There were dozens of them, coming mostly from the five children of Arthur and Molly Weasley who had actually settled down. The Potters only had three children-two boys and a younger girl. The Weasley-Grangers had two-a younger boy around the Potter girl's age and…Rose. His age, ginger, small in weight and height, deep brown eyes, caring but conniving. Malfoy-hater, just like her father.

He shook his head. No, he needn't go so in depth with her character. She wouldn't be a large part of his life, because he wouldn't let her. Not that she would want to be.

Wiping his face with a small paper towel, he pulled himself together and exited the restroom. He had taken enough time to control his emotions, now he had six hours with nothing to do but chat with his cousin and sit in quiet but for the rumbling of a train. It would be peaceful, he hoped.

…Well, that hope didn't last long.

He kept his hands in his pockets and his head down as he walked slowly and carefully past the Slytherin-filled compartments. He knew if he ran into any seventh years, or anyone, really, who had had a Death Eater in their family, he would be dead meat. He knew he would have hell to come this year, even if he wasn't sorted into Slytherin. If he was, he wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly showed up one day floating face down in the Black Lake. He abruptly comprehended his father's reasoning behind asking Professor Longbottom for extra lessons. He would surely need them.

His mind distant, Scorpius barely noticed when another's shoulder bumped into his, nor the sound of shuffling robes as three wands were pulled from the holders.

"Watch where you're going, Malfoy," a snide voice sounded to the side and behind hm. "Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, would we?"

Scorpius stiffened, but turned. "Henrietta," he greeted the girl frigidly. "I apologize for my rudeness."

Henrietta Nott smirked. "'Course not, Scorpi. You're never rude, is he, Goyle? Bulstrode?"

Behind her, flanking her on both sides, Scorpius recognized the two boys-Vincent Goyle, named for the boy's father's lost friend, and Phineas Bulstrode. Goyle, a boy of similar physical appearance as his father at his age but even more of a dunderhead, had a smirk similar to Henrietta's, but he seemed confused with the circumstances. Bulstrode, an unappealing, lanky boy with greasy brown hair, was the more intelligent of the two, but not by much.

"Nope," Bulstrode agreed obediently.

Goyle still had a somewhat perplexed expression. "Wha-? Uh…n-no, I guess not."

Nott turned around to scowl at him before turning back with her unpleasant smirk. "So how's your traitor father been, Malfoy? Still the lapdog of the Minister, is he?"

Scorpius growled inwardly. His father was certainly _not_ a lapdog. In fact, he practically ran the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes by himself. "He's been fine, thanks," Scorpius replied through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to hex her. "But I think I'll be on my way now, if you don't mind…"

He was already turning when Nott responded. "Oh, but we do mind, Scorpius. Don't you want to stay here and play with us a bit longer? Like we used to do before…well, you know what happened." She grinned cruelly at him, goading him with her ugly brown eyes-which Scorpius noticed randomly were nowhere near as pretty as Rose Weasley's, even if they were almost the exact same shade. In a way, it was creepy, even.

She made a signal to Bulstrode and Goyle-who had finally understood where all of this was going-and the two thugs moved past her, faces a matching pair of confidence and arrogance. They were certain they could take the small, fragile boy whose dainty hands and face looked so much like a girl's.

_Like hell_, Scorpius thought.

Goyle was the first down, a quick kick to the groin felling him. His gasping breath made Scorpius want to laugh, but instead he turned to Bulstrode and gave the shocked boy a hard punch to the face and knee to his gut, knocking any air still in his body out for at least a few seconds.

Seeing that Goyle was recovering, Scorpius gave a softer kick to the boy's side, causing him to give a breathless curse. Looking over at Bulstrode, he was satisfied to see the boy cowering against the corridor wall. Upon looking up from the two previously potential threats, he noticed heads sticking out curiously from the compartments around them and Nott's shocked but outraged face.

Since he really didn't want to face the entire Slytherin House, Scorpius began to back up as fast as he could. Luckily he was close to the end of the Slytherins' section. "Don't bother me again, Nott," he warned.

She shrieked, lifted her wand, and shouted, "_Diffindo_!"

Eyes widening, Scorpius did the only thing that came to mind and turned and ran. His legs jetted out behind him and he heard the distinct sound of the carpet just a foot behind him being ripped open. He heard Nott cast the spell again and this time felt a burn begin on the back of his leg, coupled by a warm trickle of liquid he assumed to be blood.

Gasping, he turned around, taking his wand out of his pocket as he did so, and shouted in return, "Expelliarmus!"

He expertly caught the wand that came soaring towards him. Throwing it to the ground behind him, he said scathingly, "I said,' _leave me alone_,' Henrietta." He walked away. The jogged. Then started to run at an uncomfortable gait, grimacing at the pain in his leg. "Shit," he cursed beneath his breath and looked over his shoulder to check if Nott had pursued. He sighed in relief when he saw that she had been smart and hadn't. Though if she had been the least bit smart at all, she wouldn't have threatened him in the first place.

He heard a voice from a near corridor shout, "Sit your scrawny ass down, Fred Weasley, and leave Domi alone!" A smile tugged at his lips. Ah, the Weasley family's compartment. It was probably jam-packed with every relative they had attending Hogwarts at the moment.

Before he could further contemplate what he had heard, his head swiveled when a pleasant voice, but twisted in a terrible way, said, "Late for something, Malfoy?"

Raising his eyebrow and steadying his racing heart, he replied, "Not particularly, Weasley." He thought he sounded curt enough, but was disheartened when he saw the girl's scowl deepen. He pulled self-consciously at his shirt and tried not to look down at his ruined pants, lest he draw her gaze. Of all the people to meet in the corridor of a _huge_ train, it had to be the one that had been on his mind so much more than should be normal. He sighed silently. It was just his luck, he supposed.

Scorpius watched wonderingly as Rose stepped so her body was pressed against the wall. "Well," she said in a rude tone, "are you going or not?"

Scorpius felt his eyes widen and he winced. He hadn't expected her to be as aggressive towards him in their first meeting as she was, and he already felt his anger from his previous situation exchange itself for hurt. He mentally shook himself. "Uh, right, I guess I will then." He took a small step forward, unprepared for the unexpected warmth that he instantly felt radiating off of her. He paused.

What was she doing in the corridor, alone, sitting on her trunk-uncomfortably, it seemed-anyway? A girl like her shouldn't be by herself where anyone could come along and decide it would be fun to mess with the small first year.

Shifting himself so he could look her in the eye and keep pressure off of his hurt right leg, he asked with a small smile, "Are you going to sit out here the whole train ride?"

"Well I certainly wouldn't sit with you, if that's what you're insinuating!" she cried, apparently offended that he would even think it.

He shook his head, attempting to keep his expression pleasant even though he was stung by her disgusted comment.

Then he remembered the voice he had heard a small ways back. "No," he said softly, the only part of his words that showed how he felt, "I was just wondering why you would be sitting in the corridor when you're entire clan is just a compartment down." Taking the silence that followed as his chance to leave, he gave her a small smile and wave and walked-limped-back to the compartment he shared with Julius.

When he reached it, however, he found his normally cheerful cousin in a frightfully forlorn mood. "Are you okay, Jules?" he asked quietly.

"What?" His cousin jerked his drooping head away from the window. "Oh! Hey, Scorp. Didn't hear you come in, what with…you know…with the train moving and all…"

"Right…" Scorpius took his seat from earlier, studying his friend. "What happened, mate? Did a Slytherin come by while I was gone? Did they hurt you? Hex you? Did they say something to you about our family? Because you know everything they say is bull sh-"

"No, Scorpius!" Julius yelled, cutting him off. He sighed. "Nothing bad happened, alright? I'm just a little put out about something. It's nothing to worry about." His eyes traveled downward. "That, however, is. What the bloody hell happened, Scorp? You were away for three minutes!"

His finger pointed to Scorpius' cut leg and stained pants. "Oh, bloody hell," Scorpius moaned, "mum bought me these for my birthday!" He pulled unhelpfully at them.

Julius groaned and removed his cousin's hand from the pants. "What are we going to do with you, Scorp? Always picking a fight."

"Always fighting the good fight," Scorpius corrected, then winced when his cousin poked the wound. "_Ow_," he said pointedly, glaring.

"Just let me see it."

He nodded reluctantly and pulled the pant leg up slowly. He ripped off a bit of his shirt-now that the matching pants were ruined, it wasn't like it mattered-and rubbed at the blood still dripped down his leg.

"Who was it this time?" Julius asked, taking the cloth from Scorpius and kneeling beside him to take up the job.

"Um…ow! It was Henrietta Nott, mostly…Merlin, do you have to press so hard?"

His cousin ignored his complaint. "Who else besides Nott?"

"Goyle and Bulstrode."

Julius looked up in surprise. "But I thought you were friends with them!"

"'Was' being the keyword, Jules. I guess that was before our parents really got to us, you know?"

His closest friend looked up, his eyes partly sad, partly understanding. "Yeah, I know." He looked back down, avoiding Scorpius' calculating eyes.

"Julius…" Scorpius said. "Is this about what happened before I got back?"

He hadn't seen his cousin blush that deep or stutter so much since after his aunt had given Julius 'the birds and the bees' talk. "W-what? N-no, this has n-nothing to do with w-what's g-going on!"

"So there is something going on, then?" he said triumphantly. His cousin shot him a dirty look.

"Yes, fine. There's something going on, but it's nothing I won't get over. Just drop it, okay?" Without leaving room for argument, he said, "_Episkey," _and sat back in his seat.

Scorpius nodded and left him alone, leaning over to inspect the perfectly healed cut. No scar, thank Merlin. "Thanks, mate. I think I'll sleep for a bit, though. Wake me up when we get there?" he asked.

Julius smiled in relief. "Sure, Scorp. No problem."

Smiling back, Scorpius stretched his legs and lifted them onto the seat, but stopped when he noticed a small garment bundled near the edge. Picking it up, he asked his friend, "Hey, Jules? Whose hoodie is this?"


	3. Exceeding One's Limited Expectations

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: In case you haven't read my profile (which I doubt you'll really want to do), I'll probably make this story into a seven book arch, based on Rose, Scorpius, and Albus' seven years at Hogwarts. It's definitely going to take me awhile to complete even the first story, but I'll try to make myself as committed as I can get. Reviews are welcome!

Chapter Three: Exceeding One's Limited Expectations

"**Anyone who limits her vision to memories of yesterday is already dead."~Lillie Langtry **

"D'you think we should go look for it?" Albus asked Rose. "You know how angry your dad will be if he finds out you've lost it."

His cousin shook her head vehemently. "No, no. I could always buy another one at Hogsmeade."

"Rose, first years aren't allowed at Hogsmeade yet. That's for third and up," Albus explained. He didn't know what the big deal was. He was sure he had seen Rose wearing the sweatshirt when she had gotten on the train, so it wouldn't be too hard to find. "It's really no trouble, we could just ask a few people if they've seen it."

Rose shook her head and looked around the now empty compartment. Their older cousins and Albus' brother had left to go looking for their own friends, as had been the deal; they would sit with their family for at least the first hour to make sure the youngest were comfortable before breaking away and leaving them to themselves.

"Do you at least remember where you took it off?" Albus said, getting frustrated now. He swore, if Rose's head weren't attached to her shoulders she would lose it within five seconds and not think twice about it.

"No, Al," Rose replied with a sigh. "I don't remember where I left it. It doesn't matter, either. Dad will understand that I didn't mean to lose it. He won't mind."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, your loud, Weasley-tempered dad won't mind in the least that you've lost the hoodie he'd given to you for your birthday advertising his favorite team of all time. Right, he won't mind at all."

"Shut it, Al. It'll probably show up somewhere. Maybe I'll find it when we go back for Christmas. If I don't…" She shrugged, leaving it up to his imagination.

She wanted him to forget about it, but she knew what he was like. "Well, I'm going to go ask around for it anyway," he persisted, standing up from his seat and stretching his legs. "Can't have gotten far."

He moved to exit the compartment but stopped as a hand grabbed his shoulder. Turning around, he saw in surprise that his cousin's usually sweet and caring face was twisted in an ugly scowl. "Al, I want you to leave it, alright? I'm certain I'll find it later. Besides, Luna said that whenever she lost any of her things, they always turned up one way or another. It's nothing to trouble yourself with."She tried to drop her fierce expression but it still showed clearly in her eyes. "So sit down and let's…talk or something."

Albus nodded reluctantly and Rose gave a huff of relief. "Sure, Rosie. No problem." He sat back down, fiddling with his new, stiff robes. He wished he had taken his mum's advice and worn them around the house a bit to wear them in. They felt unnatural and uncomfortable on his body. Too loose for his liking.

Rose sat directly across from him, also dressed in her robes, but looking more relaxed in them than he was. She crossed her legs and twiddled her fingers in her lap, moving them a second later to play with a strand of her dark red curls. She was pretty, he realized. Very pretty. He could imagine how many boys he would have to fight off in the following years. He considered taking boxing lessons, or karate. Or should he even use physical fighting, when he could use his wand instead? Though at the moment, the only useful hex he knew was the Bat-Bogey hex that his mum had shown him and his brother and sister. And likely every other one of his cousins.

"So…" Rose started self-consciously. "What did your dad talk to you about? Back on the platform? You seemed really upset earlier, but you look better now."

Albus shifted and cursed mentally when his robes disagreed with the movement. "Ah, nothing much, really. He just repeated what everyone else has been saying, but I guess hearing it come from him is…different, you know?"

"Yeah. I think it helps best for me when you say it. Makes me feel nice to know that even though we're worried about the same thing, you can still sound so positive and uplifting." She looked him in the eye with all seriousness. "You're really inspirational, Al, you know that?"

Her cousin blinked. "Really?" he asked and his voice cracked. "I-I mean, really." He was proud to hear his voice steadier and deeper than before.

Rose nodded. "Yep. When I grow up, I wanna be just like you, Al…" She paused and a hint of a teasing smile appeared on her face. "Or rather, I would, if you were actually older than me. Which, sadly, you are not."

"Sod off, you little tease!" Albus said. "You would be extremely lucky if you even ended up being minutely similar, and you know it!"

"Right, Al, right."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Did you really mean that, though, Rosie? Do I really make you feel the best when I tell you it doesn't matter where you're sorted?" He felt terrible. Here he was, telling her that no one else's opinions had mattered besides his father's, and she goes off and tells him that all that mattered to her was _his_! _Way to make a guy feel bad, Rosie_, he thought, then immediately regretted it. No, it was sweet she had said that. She hadn't meant to make him feel bad.

"Yeah, Al," Rose said emotionally, "I really meant it."

He didn't respond. He didn't know how. He was only eleven and a half, for Merlin's sake. He shouldn't be having such a serious conversation until he was…fifteen, at least! He realized he would have to say something back though, if he didn't want to hurt his cousin. And he most certainly didn't want that.

"Well…ah, I think the only reason my dad's really sunk through to me was because he told me…he told me that the Sorting Hat takes your own preference into mind, too, along with what it finds in your…head."

He expected silence to follow, or a stunned gasp, or an angry retort that he should have told her sooner, not: "What the bloody hell is a Sorting Hat?"

Taken aback, he stuttered, "S-sorry?"

Seeing the hurt on his face, she amended, "I meant, what is a Sorting Hat? I've never heard of it before."

His pink lips formed a small 'o.' "Oh," he said, mimicking his expression. "Really? Your parent's haven't told you about it?"

"No," Rose answered, puzzled. "But by the name I believe it's safe to assume that it's a factor to our getting sorted into our House?"

"Well, yeah. It's actually _the_ factor. And it's exactly as it sounds, just a plain old pointy hat that you put on your head and it digs through your mind to-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she interrupted. "'Digs through your _mind_?' What does that mean? It actually enters your…brain and reads your mind?"

Al shrugged. "I guess. But I don't think it's as painful as you make it sound. Dad just told me that it talks to you in your head, points out your flaws and outstanding traits, and if you don't like the House it wants to put you in, you can oppose it and ask it to put you in a different House. It's not a one-hundred percent guarantee, but it does help put your mind at ease, doesn't it?" He looked over at Rose hopefully, but her face was turned away from him, looking out the window over the passing scenery.

She finally responded, "Yeah, it does." She turned back to him and smiled. "But I think we both know that you're going to end up in Gryffindor, even if you beg the Hat to put you somewhere else. Not that you would," she added quickly when she saw an argument brewing in his eyes.

She laughed once. "And to think, my dad told me I'd have to find a basilisk egg in the Forbidden Forest. And that I would have a time limit, and if I didn't get there in time, they'd let the mother basilisk loose so she could eat me."

Albus laughed with her. "That's absurd! Everyone knows my dad killed the last basilisk alive in the world in his second year, and basilisks don't immediately eat their prey anyway; they look them in the eye and kill them first. They like the hunt more than they like the meal, from what the Monster Book of Monsters said."

"Why've you been reading the Monster Book of Monsters, Albus?" Rose asked him with a curious look.

He started. "What? Oh, right. I don't really know. Dad showed me his old copy, told me I had to stroke the spine to open it…so I did.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you say if I told you I wanted to work with Magical Creatures when I grow up?" he asked her nervously. It had been something he had had running through his mind for awhile now. Something he had never really considered important before the last few weeks, until he noticed how enchanted he was with reading about such interesting creatures, and found himself especially eager for the monthly visits his family took to visit the Hogwarts Groundkeeper, Hagrid. Whenever they went to his small hut that he had rebuilt after the ruthless Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, had burned it down, he would always have a new creature off to the side. Once it had even been a medium sized dragon he had called 'Norbert.'

"I think I'd say that that would be a wonderful occupation for you," Rose answered truthfully, snapping Albus out of his reverie. "But I also think you should wait a bit longer before you decide that it is what you really want to do with your life. You _are_ only entering your first year of Hogwarts," she pointed out knowingly.

Albus nodded. He shouldn't have doubted himself. He did that too much lately. Especially now that he was going to Hogwarts. It was both annoying him and driving him to the edge of his sanity. He thought about what other people thought of him more now, too. Like what his parent's would think if didn't get sorted into Slytherin. His immense relief after being told by his dad that the Sorting Hat took in his own opinion had waned since boarding the Express.

Looking out the window, he attempted to clear his mind by watching the lolling green landforms move past. Even in this state, he could tell why everyone who attended was instantly attached to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The hills around it were mesmerizing, the mountains majestic, and the sky a beautiful light blue. And they hadn't even reached the castle yet.

Behind him, he heard the compartment door slide partially open. He looked over to see his second favorite cousin (though he would never admit it), Molly, sticking her head in.

"Oh, good," she said merrily, "you're already in your robes. Thought I'd stop by and see how you two were doing." She looked particularly at Rose. "You alright?"

The girl in question looked flabbergasted. "W-why do you ask?"

"Well," the older girl answered, "Louis and I were just talking to our friend, Julius a few compartments down and he said that before you came to sit with us you had sat with him, and then you left in a rush and seemed a little upset."

Albus watched his friend's face darken and lifted an eyebrow so that it disappeared behind his low fringe. "Who's Julius?" he asked, looking first at Rose, then Molly.

The latter answered, slipping fully into the compartment and sliding the door closed after saying to someone behind her, 'Wait here.' "Julius Greengrass' is his full name, though maybe you've heard of him as Julius Davies?" Albus shook his head and watched Rose lift her own with a baffled expression on her face. "His mum is Daphne Greengrass, she used to go to school with Uncle Harry. His dad was a good-for-nothing cheat named Roger Davies. He was a few years behind my dad. Apparently he cheated on his wife while she was pregnant."

"How is any of this relevant to my wellbeing?" Rose asked rather rudely. She blushed. "I just sat with him for a moment."

Molly frowned, mirrored by Albus. "Julius was concerned. It's not actually me wondering. He said you looked really upset after he said something about how he knew who your parents were and he wanted to know if he offended you.

"He's really a sweet kid, Rosie."

Albus decided he should speak up for his cousin...the younger one. "Okay, so Rosie got a little upset about…I don't know, being compared to her parents or whatever. I don't see what the big deal is, Molls. I do the same all the time."

"I'm not blaming her for anything," Molly reassured, passing her hand over her eyes for a second, "I didn't even come in here to scold you…like I'm apparently doing."

She gave an exasperated sigh and suddenly began looking around her, almost comically. "I know I had it somewhere," she muttered.

"What are you looking for?" Albus asked. Rose just looked confused. Merlin, everyone was losing things today; first his sanity, then Rose's sweatshirt, and he didn't even know what _Molly_ had lost.

Then his older cousin snapped her fingers. "I remember!" she exclaimed. She held up a finger and said, "Wait here," then slipped out of the compartment hurriedly.

The two friends shared a mixture of amused and perplexed looks. Albus grinned. "So who's this Julius person?"

"Sod off."

Without leaving room for Al to question further, Molly reappeared, trailed by a bundle-carrying Louis. "I left it with this dope," she explained as she sat back down on the seat.

Grinning and not offended in the least, Louis handed over the bundle to Rose and sat next to her. They all looked at their cousin expectantly. Albus still couldn't tell what the bundle-cloth, he saw-was.

Rose blushed. "Ah…thanks, Molly. Louis."

"What is it?" Al asked in frustration and moved from his seat near the window Rose's unoccupied side.

Upon identifying the object, he said, "Oh, hey! Guess we won't have to wait until it 'turns up!'"

"No problem," Molly said graciously. "Scorpius gave it to us."

"WHAT?" Rose exploded. Albus jumped.

"Merlin, Rose," he said, eyes wide. "What got into you?"

She ignored him. "Why did Scorpius bloody _Malfoy_ have my hoodie?"

Molly and Louis also looked shocked. "H-he was sitting with Julius," Louis answered her nervously, edging away from his fearsome young cousin. "They are cousins, it would only make sense for them to sit together…"

Rose still appeared to be fuming. "Merlin, Rose, calm down!" Al said. "It's not like it's the end of the world because Scorpius Malfoy was nice enough to return your hoodie to you."

"Bugger off, Al. I thought you would understand." She looked like a caged animal, searching for a way to escape but finding none. She tugged at her hair in frustration. Then she sighed. "Sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to yell."

Molly nodded. "Of course not. It's only understandable, your feelings. Seeing as your dad and his dad weren't very friendly at school. But, Rose, answer me this," she leaned forward, "are you your father?"

"No, of course not. Why-?"

Molly cut her off. "Then what makes you think Scorpius is?"

She left.

"Hah…uh." Louis stood awkwardly. "We should reach Hogwarts soon, so…uh-I'll be going now."

He left.

Albus and Rose looked over at each other at the same time. "Are you okay?" Al asked. "You were really riled up back there."

"I'm fine," she said shortly.

Albus nodded. He wouldn't press his friend any further. She had the Weasley temper, to be sure.

Getting off the train was even harder than getting on, even when Albus had been among a large group of late students when he had boarded earlier. What with all of the obnoxious sixth and seventh years taking up the corridor with the sole purpose of making the younger students time harder than it had to be. He and Rose soon found it difficult to put one foot in front of the other without tripping or ramming their trunk into another person's legs. Though he assumed that if that did happen, it would only be fair to make up for their abhorrent behavior.

Eventually, they reached a marginally open area and worked up enough speed there to plough through the other few meters of students to the opening. They stepped hastily to the ground and took fast, deep breaths. Rose's hands were on her knees as she doubled over to catch her breath.

"I need to exercise more," she admitted. He happened to agree with her-her face was already flushed from only running a couple of meters.

Albus nodded. "Sorry to say, but I don't think there's a very good chance you'll make it on the Quidditch team next year."

"I don't even like Quidditch," she argued. She was deathly afraid of heights, and, like her mother, couldn't stay on a broom for the life of her.

He grinned. "But if you were to tryout, you'd be passed without a second thought because of your horrid physical condition." He poked teasingly at her stomach. "I mean, c'mon, Rosie. You're really laying on the pounds, don't you think?"

Rose slapped his hand away and grabbed her previously forgotten trunk. "Like your one to talk. You're pretty flabby yourself."

"That, dear Rose, is called muscle. Something you seem unfamiliar with."

"Git," she grumbled and kicked his trunk with her foot. "Come on. Let's go find Hagrid."

As Al picked up his trunk-wiping a small foot mark from the side- a loud, booming voice sounded swiftly down the platform. "Firs' years over 'ere! Over 'ere, firs' years!"

The two first years looked at each other with a grin. "Hagrid," they said simultaneously.

They walked excitedly toward the sound of the half-giant, a skip in their step. They spotted him within seconds.

He hadn't changed much in the nineteen years that had passed since Albus' father had defeated the Dark Lord, Voldemort. He still carried the scars he had gained during the Final Battle at Hogwarts, and his hair and beard were streaked with gray. It was hardly a surprise; he was an old man after all-nearly ninety. His height hadn't changed either-he still towered over the student, three times many of their sizes. His laugh lines had deepened miraculously, coupled with small wrinkles, making him look as jolly as he naturally was. His hair, rarely seeing a comb, was as long and shaggy as ever. He wore his usual brown hide clothes with numerous tiny pouches along his sides.

His hand worked around his mouth as he shouted again, "Firs' years this way! Over 'ere, firs' years!"

Albus led the way as the pushed through the bustling students. He was amused to see most of them looking around their surroundings with awe on their faces. Naturally, he and Rose were used to the brilliant view by now, having been coming here since they were little. Even so, he had to sneak a quick glance, as he did every time, to the huge, awe-inspiring castle before them. Its towers with its many windows. Its tall, pointy spires. The scary and daunting Forest. The large, intimidating Entrance. And the stimulating spectacle the newly built Quidditch field that instilled excitement in any one person who passed it, even the non-Quidditch people.

"Hagrid!" he yelled when they were only a few steps away. It was pointless, as the big man had already spotted them a while away, but he did so besides the fact. They settled their trunks on the edge of a growing pile and turned toward their parents' old friend.

"Hullo, Albus, Rose," Hagrid greeted them in return.

Rose said, "Hello, Hagrid. How have you been keeping?"

Hagrid nodded absently, "Ah'm good, thank ye for askin'." He squinted at something far off. "Hol' on a momen', think I see a straggler back a-ways." He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed once more, "Firs' years, over 'ere. This way, firs' years."

Albus, Rose, and those nearest him covered their ears with their hands. They peered at Hagrid cautiously before removing them.

Laughing, Rose commented. "Get 'em over here, Hagrid?"

Hagrid smiled. "Yes, b'lieve I did, Rosie." To the rest of the first years -this time Rose, Albus, and the others were prepared-he shouted, "Firs' years foller me! Firs' years foller me!"

He turned and began the semi-long walk to the boats. Rose and Albus followed after him and, along with the other first years, had to jog to keep up with the giant half-giant. "An' 'ow 'ave you little 'uns been? Off on any adventures lately?"

"No," Albus put in. "Mum and dad say I have to be older for those." He rolled his eyes at his parents' protectiveness. His dad had fought a troll in his first year, and his mum had been…well, he couldn't say being possessed by the memory of the Dark Lord was an adventure, but it was _something_.

Rose nodded in agreement and so did Hagrid, but for the opposite reason. "An' I 'gree with 'em!" he said. "Youngins like yerselves shouldn't be goin' off doin' dang'rous things so early in yer lives."

"But Hagrid," Rose objected, trying to look into the man's eyes but instead squinting against the falling sun, "that's preposterous. Both of our parents did plenty of adventurous things in their first years of Hogwarts."

"An' nearly got 'emselves killed while they were at it!" Hagrid stared down at them. "I wasn' there to stop it the firs' time, but I'm not gonna let that 'appen again."

They continued to walk in strained silence, and Albus and Rose were embarrassingly aware of the curious gazes and nosy ears being pointed their way.

"Sorry, Hagrid."

He looked down at the docile red-head. "Ah," he said affectionately, "I can' 'old a grudge 'gainst yeh." He patted the small girl lightly on the shoulder, making her lurch forward with the force of it.

She righted herself with a shaky breath and smiled. "Thanks."

They passed the horseless carriages that would carry the third, fourth, and fifth years to the castle. Rose looked on in wonder as she saw invisible hooves knead the earth. Albus noticed unnatural air steaming from an invisible nostril.

"Bloody brilliant," he muttered.

Running footsteps-yes, they could distinguish the sound of running from jogging-sounded loudly behind them, accompanied by a terse voice. "Excuse me, sir. But could you please tell me what-exactly-those creatures are?"

Albus looked over his shoulder, followed by Rose and Hagrid, none letting up their pace for the panting boy.

He listened as he heard his cousin groan. "What _creatures_, Malfoy? They are called 'horseless carriages' for a reason, you know," she informed him sarcastically.

"Rose!" Hagrid reprimanded in surprise.

Albus lifted his eyebrow. He had never heard his cousin use such a tone with anyone. He supposed it was the famous Weasley temper, but she had no reason to act like that, besides the obvious reason that Scorpius was a Malfoy. But she couldn't be _that_ judgmental…

"Actually," Malfoy said tonelessly, his cold eyes staring into Rose's, "there are creatures pulling those carriages, and, quite frankly, I was not asking you." He looked pointedly to Hagrid. "Sir?"

The carriages were far behind by then, but the light blond boy was still shooting glances over his shoulder. "Yeh can see 'em then?" Hagrid asked, his tone doubtful. Rose shot him a hurt look as though wondering why he would indulge a visibly crazy boy.

Malfoy nodded, moving from behind them to jog next to Albus. "Yes, sir. Blue-grey, skeletal, horse-like, frightening to look at?"

Hagrid nodded back.

The boy gave a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank Merlin. I thought I'd gone crazy when my friend told me he couldn't see them…Why is it that no one else can see them?"

"W-well," Hagrid stuttered, "t'is b'cause yeh've seen death, I suppose. They're thestrals, they are."

Albus felt faintly worried when the boy next to him widened his eyes, paled as much as his already pale skin would allow, and then turned a light shade of green.

"Oh," Malfoy choked out. "Right. Thank you, sir." His eyes slid to the ground and he gulped, then allowed his steps to become slower than the others'.

"Poor lad," Hagrid said softly. "Must 'ave been a terr'ble thing, to see some'un die so early in 'is life."

"So there are things pulling the carriages, Hagrid?" Rose questioned, put off that Malfoy could see them and she could not, despite what it would have meant if she could. "They're not really 'horseless?'"

Hagrid shook his head. "No. But I 'ope neither of yeh ever 'ave the chance to see 'em. They're 'orrid creatures, they are. Not dangerous," he added, seeing their worried looks, "but 'orrid."

Albus bit his lip. He should have figured it out sooner. He knew what thestrals were, having read a small section on them in the Monster Book of Monsters. And if Malfoy could see them, it meant that he had actually seen a death himself. Albus wondered how it had happened, then played a sketchy, gruesome scenario in his head.

He shuddered. He felt the same as Hagrid; he hoped he would never be able to see the strange creatures under those circumstances. Ever.

Curious, he peeked over his shoulder and was startled to immediately find his gaze captured by those ice-cold grey eyes only a couple meters behind him. The head they belonged to gave him a small nod and turned to face the boy to his right Albus assumed might be his cousin, the boy Rose had met on the train. Julius.

Albus swung back around quickly and shivered. Suddenly, he heard an annoying buzz and swatted at the area around his face. He groaned. "Couldn't they invent a spell to keep mosquitoes away from the Black Lake?" he whined.

Hagrid only rumbled a chuckle and quickened his already breathtaking pace when they closed in on the edge of the Lake.

"I agree with Albus on this, Hagrid," Rose said, also swatting at her hair and the air around her with a firmly disgusted look on her face. "There has to be some sort of bug repelling charm somewhere." She paused and added, "If not, I suppose _I'll_ just have to invent one."

"You wouldn't be able to invent one until you were smart enough, Rosie," Albus mocked good-humoredly. "And I think you'll admit, that's a long time coming."

Rose glared at Albus and waited while Hagrid started filing students into the waiting boats.

"Four t' a boat!" Hagrid bellowed. "One at a time, don' rush!"

He turned to the two first years still waiting behind him. "Sorry t' say, but I can't sit with yeh. I've got my own boat, spec'lly made jus' fer me. But you two go on, find some new frien's t' sit with."

They nodded. "See you on the other side, Hagrid," Rose said, waving with Albus and watching the half-giant step onto a rather large boat floating near the middle of the others.

The two cousins walked away and down the line of boats, search for an empty one. They found what they were looking for, but weren't too thrilled with one of the occupants.

"Malfoy," Rose greeted, seething.

The blond boy looked up from the conversation with the other occupant. When the other person, a girl with brown hair tied in a loose pony tail and hardly noticeable bucked teeth, looked up also, Rose gasped.

"_Alice_?" she said in incredulity. "Why are you sitting with _him_?" She gestured impolitely to Malfoy.

Albus slapped her lightly on the arm. "Be nice," he hissed at her, stepping forward. "Hi, Alice, Malfoy. We were wondering if we could sit with you? The other boats seem all full at the moment."

Alice Longbottom nodded enthusiastically. "No, of course we don't mind. Right, Scorp?"

"Scorp?" Albus heard his cousin whisper in disbelief while the boy in question shook his head.

"Thanks," Albus said gratefully, pulling his cousin more roughly than he intended into the boat.

She glared at him and pulled her arm from his hold. "I'm perfectly capable of getting into a boat without your help, Albus Severus." Ooh, now he knew she was mad. His mother only called him that when she was pissed, so he could only connect those instances to this one.

Seeing the family debate, Scorpius seemed to falter. "I can leave, if my being here is going to create a…disturbance between-"

"Scorpius!" Alice exclaimed. "You'll do no such thing. I want you here, so you'll stay here." She quirked an eyebrow at Albus and Rose.

Rose huffed. "Whatever," she muttered. "I don't care."

Al shrugged. "I don't mind it." He sat in the seat next to Scorpius to prove his point. Then, taking it even further than necessary, he stuck out his hand. "Hi. I'm Albus Potter. I think I saw you on Platform 9 ¾ earlier today."

Malfoy peered at the outstretched hand for a moment before cautiously taking it. "Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco and Astoria Malfoy," he replied formally. His icy eyes met Albus' green ones that looked so similar to the color of the Killing Curse, yet it was Albus who shivered. Then Scorpius smiled. Not a big, excited smile, but an I'd-like-you-to-be-my-friend-but-I-don't-know-how-it-will-work-out smile. "It's nice to meet you, Albus."

Rose, meanwhile, looked sick to her stomach.

Alice grinned at the boys. "Awesome! So how was your summer?" she asked Albus, appearing to be snubbing Rose for the rest of the night for her rude behavior.

"Really good! I played a lot of Quidditch with James and Fred and Louis and Molly and the rest of the family. We all missed you and Frank, though. How was Romania? Did you have a good time there? What was it like? What kind of food-"

"Al, cool it," Rose interrupted him, poking him in the arm. "Try one question at a time."

Instead of looking thankful, Alice shook her head. "No," she said. "I can do this. Okay, um, first…" She went on answering all of Albus' questions in order, being very detailed with her explanations and without missing a beat.

They all stared at her. "What?" she asked, blushing. "I have a good memory."

And then Hagrid's voice shouted across the Black Lake, "Pull out!" and the boats began moving of their own accord.

Alice held her hand over her mouth, looking green. "Oh, Merlin, I'm gonna get seasick, I know it," she moaned and gagged.

Scorpius rubbed her back, surprising everyone. "It helps if you stand up and look at the place your going. Normally it's the horizon, but I think the other side of the Lake will suffice."

Alice nodded and held onto Scorpius' shoulder to keep her balance, then stood and grabbed onto the iron rod holding up the lantern in the front of the boat. She raised her eyes to the grounds in front of them and breathed out a long breath. "You know," she said, not taking her eyes off of it, "I think it's actually working."

Scorpius shared another small smile with Albus, who was starting to warm up to the blonde. Rose watched the interaction with disgust and kicked the back of Albus' leg.

He ignored her. "So, Scorpius, why aren't you sitting with your cousin?" he asked. "Weren't you walking up here with him?"

Scorpius' face showed his confusion. "No," he replied, "my cousin's a-"

"Third year," Rose intruded, her visage sour. She wasn't enjoying her first day of Hogwarts as she had expected it to be. Scratch that, she wasn't enjoying her first day of Hogwarts _period_. First, she had sat with a relative of the Malfoy family, second, she had run into an actual Malfoy, and third, she had to endure a long ride in a boat with a Malfoy.

"Yes," Scorpius confirmed. "How did you know that, if I may ask?"

"No," Rose answered snottily. "You may not ask."

The boy's eyebrows rose. Albus stared sternly at her. Alice turned around and said with a reprimanding tone, "For the love of Merlin, Rose, would you stop being such a prick and be at least a little nice to-ah!" She shrieked as she lost her balance, her hand no longer gripping the iron rod in her frustration. The sound was speedily cut off with a wet _plop_!

"Alice!" Albus, Scorpius, and Rose all yelled in fear. They stopped in their panic and waited for a sign of the fallen girl. A sudden _clunk_ came from the bottom of the boat and Rose gasped. The boys both looked at her in panicked bewilderment.

"I think she hit her head on the bottom of our boat," Rose explained fearfully.

They shared horrified glances, then stared dumbly at the bottom of the boat.

Breaking from his stupor, Albus screamed, "Stop," to the automatic boat-which thankfully did as he asked-and yelled again for the Groundskeeper.

Rose watched as Scorpius stripped off his outer robe and shirt, handed them to her, and said, "Wish me luck," and then jumped into the icy water after their friend.

A/N 2: Ooooh!, cliffhanger! And a bad Hagrid. I was really never good at capturing the nature of that loveable half-giant. Sorry!


	4. Second Glances Clear The Sight

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: Don't you love cliffhangers? And to explain the ending of the previous chapter, Scorpius took off his cloak and shirt so he wouldn't be weighted down when he went in after Alice. It wasn't meant to hint at anything-they're eleven, for Merlin's sake! Thanks for reading, please review!

Chapter Four: Second Glances Clear The Sight (Or Distort It Further)

"**If you can't beat them, join them."~Said By So Many**

"Shite," Rose said, staring at the settling water.

Hagrid had heard Albus' yells by now and was instructing his boat to turn back towards them. The students surrounding them were also held in standstill, a precaution made to ensure no one travelled too far away from the escorting faculty.

Albus stopped yelling when he confirmed that Hagrid had heard and was acting. He rushed to the side of the boat, nearest to where they had heard the _clunk_! He peered into the murky green water. It wasn't called the Black Lake for being crystal clear, was it?

"Sh-should we go in after her?" Albus asked shakily. "We can't just leave her, we have to try something! Is there a spell or-or should we just wait?"

Rose said, "Al, Scorpius already went in. He hasn't come up yet…" She went to kneel next to her cousin, staring into the silent water.

"What do you mean he already went in? He went after her? And you didn't stop him?" Her cousin turned to her incredulously. "So now two people are likely to get hurt or d-die," he stuttered.

A sudden churning of bubbles sprang up before them, seeming to come up from far below the surface of the water. Rose and Albus gaped at it, and heard Hagrid bellow, not too far from them, "Wha' is it? Some'un fall into the Lake?"

They didn't answer, but Rose whispered, "It looks like it's boiling…" Albus nodded in agreement.

"Rose?" Albus asked hesitantly. "What kind of creatures are in the Black Lake?"

"Magical or non-magical?" He gazed at her pointedly.

"Aside from the Giant Squid?" she said. "Of what I've heard from my dad and mum, there are also merfolk and grindylows."

Albus began reaching his hand toward the boiling spot. "What are grindylows then?"

Rose paled. "They're creatures from Muggle legends. They have greenish-yellowish skin, long fingers-"

"And sharp green teeth?"

Rose nodded. They both felt a light bump as Hagrid's boat sidled next to theirs. Albus' hand had reached the churning water by then.

He plunged it in and yelped, but didn't take it out. "It's hot," he informed Rose and Hagrid, who he could feel looking over his shoulder behind him,. "Shouldn't you do something, Hagrid?"

"Only thin' I can do is call fer the Squid," he said dolefully. He opened one of his many pouches and pulled out a whistle. He blew it; no sound came out.

Rose understood. "The vibrations the high-pitched sound makes through the water?"

Hagrid nodded and began to speak. He was cut off by Albus yelling, "Something touched me!" He pulled his hand out of the water. "It felt like hair…"

"Merpeople don' come out this far, and grindylows don' 'ave 'air," Hagrid said, leaning his massive body over the two first years. He reached his large hands into the once more docile water and felt around. He grabbed something and lifted it into Albus and Rose's boat.

"Alice!" Rose yelled, swiveling to crouch beside her wet friend.

A voice echoed her own. "Alice!"

Albus looked across the boats to one near the back of the halted procession. "That's Frank," he said to Hagrid, "Alice's brother. He should be over here, with his sister."

Hagrid nodded and spoke to the boat next to his, informing it to pass along the message to Frank Longbottom's boat. It did so, sending ripples through the water toward the other boats, until it stopped at Frank's. His boat soon began to push through the others.

"Scorpius is still down there," Albus said worriedly, looking away from Alice's still face and back into the murky deep.

Rose held her ear close to her friend's mouth and put her hand on her chest. "She's breathing and her heart is steady," she said loud enough for most of the students to hear her. "I think her body's just in shock."

She leaned back on the balls of her feet, suddenly exhausted. "Don't people float in water?" she asked her half-giant friend. "I mean, Alice only bumped her head, shouldn't see have bobbed to the top of the water right away?

Hagrid looked pain when he muttered a string of words along the lines of, "fergot t' feed," and, "damn grindylows."

Albus looked at them in disbelief. "Don't either of you care that Scorpius has been under there for at least a couple of minutes, since no one but _Rose_ saw him jump in?"

The two in question shared guilty looks. "Look, Albus," Rose said, "Hagrid said the only thing he could do was call for the Giant Squid and-"

Hagrid said, "It's here." He pointed to ripples coming from the Lake a short distance away. They all spotted the tentacle that emerged from the surface as the Squid dived to the bottom of the Lake floor.

Every student on the Lake waited in stony silence, the only sound their frantic breaths and the slosh of water as Frank's boat edged closer.

The Lake began to froth and bubbles floated to the top. "It's def'nitely grindylows," Hagrid confirmed, his voice echoing eerily. "The Squid doesn' like 'em."

Abruptly, the Black Lake exploded in movement, making several students cry out in shock. A considerable amount of the Giant Squid's tentacles shot into the air, splashing the students with the slimy Lake water. In its grip were numerous struggling grindylows and-

"Scorpius!" Albus shouted. "It has Scorpius!"

The limp blonde boy fell with a light _thunk _in the boat_, _landing beside the prone figure of Alice. His legs kicked Rose, shoving her forward until she landed awkwardly on top of him. Immediately she pushed off him, stumbling into Albus. He shoved her away in his haste and knelt beside the still boy.

"H-he's not breathing," he stammered after leaning his head over Scorpius' face. He placed his hand on the pale boy's chest. "But his heart is still beating." He looked over at Hagrid questioningly.

"Is my sister alright?" Frank asked when his boat bumped onto their free side.

Hagrid lifted the boy into the boat with his sister. "Aye, she's jus' 'ad a little shock, is all," Hagrid reassured him.

"Does anyone know CPR?" Albus asked. "Or a spell to get water out of his throat?"

"Only Muggles use CPR!" a voice said.

Another suggested, "Try _enervate_."

"No, that's only if someone is stunned."

"It could work for this!" the first protested.

"Could not!"

"Who says?"

"I do, that's who!"

"SHUT UP!" Al shouted. "Now if none of you have any useful suggestions, I'll have to do a rough resuscitation." He looked around, but no one volunteered. He looked back at the pale-white boy. He pinched Scorpius' nose and…

"_Anapneo_."

Scorpius took in a huge, gulping breath-and promptly spat gross Lake water into Albus' face.

Spluttering, Albus pulled Scorpius into a sitting position so that he could spew the water over the side of the boat instead of in his face.

"Rose?" he said, looking at the girl placing her wand back in her pocket.

She said shortly, "What?"

"Thanks for not letting me die," a gasping Scorpius replied for Albus. He smiled teasingly. "That would really suck."

Rose blushed and managed to look annoyed at the same time. "Whatever, just…don't make me have to again." She spun to look at Hagrid. "We can start moving again," she said, "they should both be fine. You just need to wake Alice up with _enervate_ since she doesn't seem to have any water in her system.

"I'll sit in your boat so you can sit with Alice," she added to Frank who nodded.

"Thanks," he told her, his eyes shining.

Rose's face softened. "It was Hagrid who pulled her out, though," she said modestly. She picked up Scorpius' forgotten robes and shirt and handed them to him absently.

"But it was you who reassured me." He turned away and pulled his wand out. "_Enervate_," he cast, aiming it at his twin.

Alice's eyes fluttered open. Then she gasped. "Scorpius?" she said in a whisper, then louder. "Scorpius?"

Seeing her on the verge of panic, Frank shushed her and held her close. Rose stepped away from the two and let herself be lifted by Hagrid and placed in the second boat. The big man turned back to the first. "Alright Scorpius, Alice?" he asked them.

Although Alice seemed too hysterical to answer, she perked up at Scorpius' name. "Scorpius?" she asked from her brother's chest, his body obstructing her view. "Is he alright? Did he get away?" She put her head in her hand. Hagrid called for the boats to begin moving. "They were so f-frightening a-and they grabbed me and I h-hit my head trying to get away, but I saw him come in after me and then they g-got him t-too." She began to cry heavily.

Frank rubbed her back agitatedly. "Shhh," he said soothingly. "Scorpius is fine. The Giant Squid helped him get away from the grindylows and Rose revived him. Albus helped, too, of course."

"Sod off," Albus objected from Scorpius' side. The blond appeared to be catching his second wind. "All I did was yell and scream the whole time…and burn my hand in boiling water. I don't know how Hagrid stood it."

"You burned your hand?" Scorpius repeated questioningly. "I thought I just imagined it."

"Imagined what?" Frank asked. Alice had calmed down as soon as she was out of his arms and could see Scorpius for herself.

"That I…"

"That he burned the grindylows without a wand."

The two dry boys stared at Alice, then at Scorpius, then behind them as though they could still see the patch of water that had been boiling. "Are you serious?" Frank asked in surprise. "You performed wandless magic?"

"That's brilliant!" Albus said. "You're a natural, Score."

Scorpius head snapped up at the nickname and compliment. "It's nothing special," he insisted. "Plenty of people our age still cast accidental magic."

Alice shook her head and left her brother to sit beside Scorpius. She took his hand. Frank was slightly put out but didn't object. Malfoy had saved his sister's life after all.

"So it was an accident when you decided to come after me, saw the grindylows, and started to make fire shoot at them from nowhere? _Underwater_?"

"You make it sound like I have some freaky power, Alice. I don't. It was just a spur of the moment thing. I'll most likely never be able to do that again."

Alice was skeptical. "Mm-hmm," she said. She shrugged and made a difficult wand movement and cast a drying spell on the both of them. "We'll see."

The boat docked a second later on the Grounds. Everyone hopped out of their boats and proceeded in following Hagrid as though nothing strange had happened at all. Albus and Frank shared a grin and followed Alice as she stepped daintily onto the Ground.

"Come on, Score," Albus called over his shoulder to the baffled boy. "We're already fashionably late; no need to be irritably late. And believe me, you won't want that once you meet Headmistress McGonagall."

Albus left it at that, not in the least worried that the boy wouldn't follow them.

They came to the large, intimidating front doors of the castle in less than a minute. It's impressiveness maximized the closer they came. It was a dull grey-green color, but the woodwork and frame made it seem inhumanly alive.

Instead of admiring the doors like the other students, Scorpius came up behind Albus and muttered, smacking his lips, "I think I can still taste the Lake water."

Albus started. "What?" Frank looked at him oddly and Alice continued to stare at the sight in front of her. "Seriously? That's the only thing that passes through your mind right now? Not 'Merlin, look at those big doors,' or 'Wow, what an interesting piece of architectural achievement?'"

Malfoy shrugged, his grey eyes looking unconcernedly at the doors. "I just don't understand why everyone's standing here standing at a couple of big doors. They're nothing special," he said, repeating what he had said to Alice in the boat earlier.

"Merlin," Albus said, "is anything special to you?"

"My mum," Scorpius answered without hesitation. "And my father and my cousin…That's it, really." He watched the doors open widely. "There's not much else that truly matters to me enough to be special yet. We've only been here a few minutes and people are already treating it like home."

He took up the pace of the other students walking into the Entrance Hall. "To me, home is a cottage on the edge of a small town with my mother and father. Not an old castle that's been called home by so many people that it would hardy mean much if one more thought it."

Albus stared. "You're a really deep person, aren't you?"

Scorpius stared back.

"Yeah," Albus said, nodding. "You so are."

The first years stopped at the doors to the Great Hall, more shining and grand than the Entrance doors. Hagrid bade them good-bye and good luck and slipped away as fast as he could without running into any of the much smaller eleven year olds.

"I hope you don't all start thinking that because you were late today for one of the most important happenings for your year," a stern male voice said, "you'll be able to do so whenever you wish. At Hogwarts, we are all persevering and prestigious people. We will not accept further disobedience without doling out punishments where they are needed."

A man of about late thirties to early forties stood facing the anxious students. "I," he said with a confident sniff, "am the new Astronomy teacher this year, and also the Head of Ravenclaw House, Professor Boot." Albus' mouth quirked. _Ha, that sounds funny,_ he thought.

The obnoxious man continued, "I am to lead you into the Great Hall in an orderly fashion, meaning you will stand side by side and form two long rows. If there is an odd number of you, create a row of three at the very back. I will not have people grouped together in rows of four, five, or six." Already he was directing students into two proper lines. Albus found himself losing Scorpius in the crowd and standing next to his cousin.

He smiled at her, "OCD much?" he whispered.

"Hush," she returned. "He's still a professor, Al."

"-and absolutely no talking while the Headmistress is speaking, nor when the Sorting begins," Professor Boot's voice broke in pompously. "Only after you are sorted into you respective Houses and the Headmistress announces the beginning of the Feast may you begin speaking quietly among your new Housemates.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor Boot," the children chorused.

The professor nodded his head and admired his work. "Very well, students. Follow me." He pushed open the beautifully ornate doors and the first years fell behind him. Their heads swiveled as they took in their surroundings. Albus stared in wonder at the ceiling, where a cloudy night sky was lit up with floating candles. The torches along the sides of the Hall danced brilliantly. And to the very front was the professors' table, the Headmistress's chair, a stool, and a Hat.

"Whoo!" two voices from the Gryffindor table cried out. "Yeah! Go first years!" Several people laughed. Albus and Rose felt like burying their faces in their hands, but kept their gazes forward. Sometimes they hated their cousins.

The Headmistress glared menacingly in the direction of the Gryffindor table and the Hall instantly quieted. She stood from her impressive chair and walked imposingly down the steps. The first years huddled together at the front of the entire Hogwarts staff-except for Filch, who had taken to retiring to his bed earlier due to his old age.

"Welcome, first years, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Headmistress McGonagall. If, throughout the year, you ever have need of my services, you have my permission to ask a professor if you may visit my office. If you are a troublemaker and come to my office for other reasons, you should know that I am not as lenient as what you may have suffered as punishment at your own homes. Tomfoolery is not appreciated here and to any of you that have a knack for such, I warn you that you should soon lose it."

The commanding woman stepped from the last remaining step and halted. Rose felt much more unsettled by her than by the pretentious professor who had led them here and was sitting boldly to the right of the Headmistress's chair.

"Today, you will be sorted into four Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. These Houses will be your home away from home, and similar to a substitute family. You will treat your new Housemates and students from other Houses with respect, or you will be disciplined." She stared in particular at the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. "We do not abide rivalries here, and we work _together_, not against each other. If we fail to do so, we will all surely fall.

"On the stool before me," she continued, gesturing to the stool and Hat, "is the object that will sort you into your Houses: the Sorting Hat. You will put the Hat on when I call your name, and sit on the stool while the Sorting Hat is placed upon your head. It will then decide by seeing traits in you that make your House separate from the others which one it will place you into.

"There is no argument after and you will move directly to your House table and sit quietly until the sorting is finished and the Feast has begun." She surveyed the first years one more time. "We will begin."

All of Albus' previous fears rushed back to him in a moment. _Oh, Merlin, what if I'm in Slytherin? What if I get into Ravenclaw, but I'm not even smart enough to answer the riddle to open the common room door like Luna said she had to do? What if I'm in Hufflepuff and everyone forgets about me? What will my parent's think? Or James? Or little Lily-flower? Or Rose? Or-_

"Calm down," Rose told him quietly and grabbed his sweating hand. "It'll be fine."

He sent her a lopsided smile that wasn't very convincing. "R-right."

She patted his hand. "If it helps, I'm just as nervous as you are."

"Thanks," he whispered, "but not really."

"Abercrombie, Linda," McGonagall called. A small girl with defined ears stepped up apprehensively. She donned the peculiar Hat and looked startled for a moment, then curious.

"I wonder what it talks about," Rose murmured to keep Albus' mind off of his worries.

"RAVENCLAW!" the Hat screamed and the gathered first years winced. It was almost as bad as Hagrid.

Polite clapping commenced.

Albus shrugged. Bulstrode, Phineas was called. "You, probably," he answered quietly. "What you're like, what your aspirations are, your family." He added wistfully, hopefully, "Where you want to be placed…"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Polite clapping from all but Gryffindor.

"Worrywart," Rose said as another person was sorted. "How can you even doubt that you'll get into Gryffindor? You're, like, the definition of bravery!"

Albus snorted a little too loudly. Those around him told him to shush and yet another person was sorted of to their new House.

"Goyle, Vincent."

"Yeah, right," he argued, keeping his voice soft. "I can't even touch a bloody snake. The prospect of actually _being_ one terrifies me even more."

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat shouted.

Polite clapping from all but Gryffindor.

"But you're not going to be one, Al," Rose insisted. "How could you, when you're so kind and sweet and _brave_?"

"Rose…"

She didn't let him speak. "And how could you be when everyone knows that that House is full of disrespecting, horrible people. Nearly every Death Eater was from that House, and their children were all sorted there." She looked over at the Slytherin table and then behind her to where Scorpius was standing not too far away. "And their children's children."

"Jordan, Mercy."

"That's not fair, Rosie," Albus said. "Remember what Molly said on the train? You're not like your parents, so why should they be."

"Molly isn't always right."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Raucous clapping from Gryffindor, polite from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, none from Slytherin.

Albus sighed. "I'm not saying she is, but she does give some pretty good advice every now and then."

"Longbottom, Alice."

A soft tap touched him on his arm. "Are you alright?" Scorpius asked. "You seem like something's upsetting you." His cold eyes held Rose's for a second, accusing, but turned back toward Albus and then the stool, curious about his new friend's placement.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Polite clapping.

A man he assumed to be Professor Longbottom smiled proudly.

The green-eyed boy smiled. "Yeah," he answered softy. "I'm okay. What about you? I guess your family has a tight leash on you too, since your parents…" He broke off, realizing his mistake.

"Longbottom, Frank."

"It was only my dad who was a Death Eater," Scorpius finished for him nonchalantly. "And my grandparents. But my mum was a good woman. She was in Ravenclaw, actually."

"Really?" Albus felt Rose's heated glare. "I never knew that. I'm sorry I assumed…you know."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Raucous clapping from Gryffindor, polite clapping from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, none from Slytherin.

Scorpius watched Frank take his seat smugly at the Gryffindor table and reassured, "It's a common misconception. It's not your fault. Everyone has their opinions, whether they're right…or wrong." He stared dead-set into Rose's eyes then. A challenge.

"Macmillan, Keenan."

The blond sighed. "I'm next." He closed his eyes, drawing them away from Rose's lovely browns, trying to calm himself.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat shouted.

Polite clapping from all but Gryffindor.

Another of the professors, Ernie Macmillan, Keenan's father and Head of the Hufflepuff House, looked shocked.

Scorpius whispered, "Wish me luck."

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

The Great Hall grew very quiet and everyone could hear the quiet, 'Good luck,' but couldn't pinpoint its origin.

Scorpius carried himself through the sea of first years that were left and up the steps in a dignified fashion. Here it was, the moment he had been dreading. He would face it head on, as any respectable Malfoy would, and he would accept the consequences-_or rewards_, he had to remind himself-that came with the outcome. He sat down on the rickety old stool and felt silly when the Headmistress placed the equally old Hat on his head. He made a random comparison to an unlit fireplace when he breathed in through his nose and scratching nettles when it settled in his hair.

A voice sprung up in his head, though he knew he was not crazy. "_Hmm, another Malfoy. You look exactly like your father. Same hair, same eyes, but your face is lighter. More feminine."_

_ Just because I look like him doesn't mean I am him, _Scorpius responded. He would have felt dim-witted if he had spoken out loud.

_"No?" _the Hat said. _"Some say that appearances are everything. Others say there is more than meets the eye. What say you, boy?"_

Scorpius thought, looking around at the staring faces. _I'd say it's the quality of the person. If they're narrow-minded, they might believe that an old face is wise and friendly, when all the while it is the enemy. If they are clear-sighted, they might see a sad girl but know her to be an illusion. _

The Hat was silent. _"You'd do well in Ravenclaw, my boy. But I see this: you saved a girl just today. A girl you met only five minutes before you risked your own life for hers. And there are so many things before this." _The Hat paused. _"There are Dark things. You would do well to be cautious of those. _

_ "You're a strange one, one of courage, intelligence, cunning, and loyalty. But at the moment, you need others to benefit you, not a way to use yourself for the benefit of others. I think I'll put you in…_

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Scorpius froze. _Hufflepuff_? He felt the Hat leave his head and out of the corner of his eye saw it give him a wink. The Great Hall was silent.

Blushing lightly, he stepped down from the stool and began the descend toward the Hufflepuff table. He was startled when he heard a pair of hands begin to clap. He instinctively knew who it was and smiled.

Albus didn't think he's ever clapped so hard in his life. How dare no one else congratulate Scorpius. All because of who his parent's were, and not what kind of person _he_ was.

Reluctantly, the Hufflepuff House also clapped. Awkwardly, for sure, but at least they clapped. Ravenclaw soon joined in politely and steadily. _Better_, he thought.

Gryffindor and Slytherin remained silent. As, he noticed, did Rose. In fact, she had a puzzling mixture of shock and outrage on her face. He found himself becoming more and more disappointed with his cousin of late. He had never thought of her as a prejudiced person. Or maybe he had always known and had chosen to ignore it.

He finished clapping a few seconds after Scorpius sat down next to Alice, who had clapped almost as hard as Albus. The white-blond gave him a smile, and Albus was happy to see it wasn't one of his anxious I'd-like-you-to-be-my-friend-but-I-don't-know-how-it-will-work-out smiles.

He could feel Rose actually shaking beside him. "Are you okay, Rose?" he asked in concern. "You're shaking."

"I'm fine," she snapped, her voice tinged with jealousy.

"Nott, Henrietta."

"You sure?"

Rose gave a calming sigh. "Yeah," she answered. "Really Al, I'm fine." Her weak smile failed to hide her hurt.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Polite clapping from all but Gryffindor.

"Think there are any 'O's?" Albus asked her to lighten the mood.

"Potter, Albus Severus."

_They had to say the middle name_? he thought. "Guess not."

Rose gave him an encouraging smile and he stepped up to the stool. He stumbled a bit on the last step and blushed brightly. He smiled at the Headmistress and sat on the seat. The Hat lowered onto his head and nearly covered his eyes.

_"A Potter!" _the Hat shouted in his head, making him wince. _"I sorted your brother one year ago to this day. Quite a rowdy fellow, he was. But we should be looking at you! Not him!"_

_ Oookay, _Albus thought. _You're not going to dig in my brain, are you?_

The Sorting Hat laughed. _"No, dear boy. Just read your memories and past thoughts a bit, that's all." _It stopped talking for a while before it's voice said, _"You're not the bravest chap, not to be rude, and you do seem a bit timid. Your intelligence, so far, has only been used to its full potential on one subject. You could do more, but you lack the proper motivation. You feel overly-concerned with what your family thinks of you, and you feel…forgotten. Not the oldest, or the youngest; the cutest or most daring._

_ "My boy, I do believe that it's your time to shine. I think I'll put you in…_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Albus jumped off the seat even before McGonagall could remove the hat. It fell from his head and landed on the ground at his feet. Blushing again, he stooped to pick it up and handed it to McGonagall, who was looking at him with a surprised and pitying expression.

_No. No, no. No no no no no, _he thought. _This can't be happening. This can't be happening. _He created it into a mantra, making his way over to his new table. To his new House.

_Oh, Merlin, _he thought as he sat beside the other boy sorted into Slytherin before Scorpius. Keenan, he thought it was.

He barely noticed the mystified but polite clapping that had followed him all the way to his seat.

_This can't be happening._

Rose was horrified. _Poor Albus, _she thought as her cousin walked, trance-like, to his new House. He didn't deserve this. It made her feel like a liar, remembering all the times she had told him how his bravery and kindness would put him into Gryffindor, where he truly belonged, without a doubt.

"Scamander, Lorcan," the Headmistress continued after a shaky moment.

That proved it. Everyone had been shocked, so that had to mean that the Sorting Hat had made a mistake when it had decided to put Al in Slytherin. It was old, maybe it had a Hat form of Alzheimer's.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Polite clapping from everyone but Slytherin.

Even the clapping had changed. Gryffindor House was too shocked to keep up their enthusiastic greetings because they had been so ready to welcome the son of famous Harry Potter and brother of soon-to-be Gryffindor legend, James Potter.

"Scamander, Lysander."

_I'll ask the Sorting Hat when I'm called up and sorted into Gryffindor…or Ravenclaw_, she added after a second thought.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hat cried.

Polite clapping.

Rose watched the small, dreamy-eyed blond walk to the yellow and black bannered House. Poor kid, he would probably have to share a room with Scorpius.

And that was another thing: Scorpius _Malfoy_ in _Hufflepuff_? What did that House ever do to deserve it? Such a vile young boy should be put into a vile House. Besides the fact that he had saved Alice-he had probably used that to win over Albus. Maybe the Sorting Hat had mixed up her cousin and Malfoy. Maybe Albus was really meant to be in Hufflepuff, the House of the just and loyal. He fit those traits, but she knew he wasn't a 'duffer,' as some people liked to refer to Hufflepuffs as.

She shifted when Headmistress McGonagall said, "Smith, Alexander." This was going to be a long wait.

Tapping her toes, she zoned out after the hat screamed, "HUFFLEPUFF!" and polite clapping ensued. It took ten minutes before there were only three people standing below the professors' table.

"Weasley, Rose."

Rose started forward immediately. _Finally_, she thought. She lowered herself onto the stool and McGonagall placed the scratchy, stinky Hat on her head.

_"_Another_ Weasley!" _The Hat exclaimed. _"Your family likes to keep me busy, don't they?"_

_ I suppose, sir, but I was wondering before you sort me if I could have a word? _Rose asked.

_"And what word would that be, Miss Weasley?"_

Rose righted herself on the stool. _You see, sir, _she said, _I don't believe my cousin belongs in the House you put him in, and frankly, I don't believe Malfoy does either._

_ "Why not?" _the Hat asked. _"You don't suppose that in my terribly old age I've developed…Alzheimer's, do you?"_

Though the Hat was atop her head, she could feel its beady, staring eyes. _No, sir, _she lied without faltering, _I don't believe you have. I simply think that my cousin has traits that more distinctly match those of a Gryffindor than-_

_ "Girl, you are lying to a Hat that currently has access to each and every one of your thoughts. Not-" _he added "_-that you are lying about thinking your cousin belongs in Gryffindor, but really, you're either terribly brave, recklessly smart, honorably loyal, or appallingly deceptive. And you know I know which one you are. Be at peace knowing that I do my job rather well._

_ "But tell me, dear girl: do you know the difference between your friends, and your enemies? I think you'll do best in…_

"SLYTHERIN!"

True to what she had thought back at Platform 9 ¾, Rose fainted.

A/N 2: Sorry if you're not all happy with the sorting arrangements, but I've had this whole scene in my head since I started this story. I might not get the next chap up by tomorrow, but stay tuned and we'll see how fast my fingers can go…


	5. New Homes, New Houses, New Hopes

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: Okay, I'm probably going to post a chapter every five days or so from now on, so don't be surprised when it takes me more than a day to upload. Also, I apologize if you didn't like the bratty Rose from the previous chapters, and I hope this one will rectify her behavior. Read, enjoy, and review.

~*~Thanks~*~

',','Rehearsed Rain',','

Chapter Five: New Homes, New Houses, New Hopes

"**Where we love is home – home that our feet leave, but not our hearts."~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. **

Scorpius and Alice walked near the middle of the newly sorted Hufflepuff first years. They followed one of the House's Prefects, Xavier Smith, to their new House Dormitories. They had had to wait for the other Houses to leave before them – subsequent to Rose Weasley having been levitated safely after she fainted off to the Hospital Wing and the last two students had been sorted after the awkward moment – since Hufflepuff's Dormitory was the easiest to find. And, as Scorpius soon found out not moments after stepping from the Great Hall, it was.

They had walked forward toward the Grand Staircase leading to the First Floor, believing that their House would be somewhere up there. However, the prefect made a quick turn, instead, toward a small corner beside the Staircase. They were led through the door there, down a flight of stone steps, and stopped. Situated on the wall before them hung a still-life portrait of a fruit bowl.

Xavier Smith stepped in front of it and swiveled back around to face the first years. He winked at a younger looking version of himself before saying, "Alright, first years! You all know who I am; I have no idea who you are. I suppose myself and the rest of our House will learn that later on. Before we enter our cozy, comfortable Common Room, however, I'd like you all to know what makes our House special. For those of you who have heard that Hufflepuff House is a House for extras or, more crudely, duffers, whoever told you that is terribly mistaken.

"Our House is proud, like Ravenclaws, only we don't normally show off as much as they do. We're sneaky, like Slytherins; we like to move under the radar, only we're not as devious. We're as brave as Gryffindors, but not as reckless. We use our heads, our talents, and skills to make our way through our time at Hogwarts. So, people may think we have no distinguishable traits about us, but it seems they also forget everything we've done in the Wizarding World." A look of immense pride bloomed on his face. "They forget that our House was second only to Gryffindor to volunteer to stay behind to fight during the Battle of Hogwarts nearly twenty years back. Besides, isn't it cooler to be a mystery than have everyone know your most obvious traits because of which House you're in? Of course, loyalty is quite a big one in our House, but other than that there are so many differences between each and every one of us. I think I'd rather have people work to get to know me, instead of seeing what House I'm in and dismissing me because of some stupid feud that's been going on for hundreds of years, wouldn't you?

Heads nodded, Scorpius and Alice included. Already they had decided that they would like their time there as Hufflepuffs.

"They can still judge you for other things…" Scorpius muttered, not actually meaning to be heard.

The prefect, it turned out, had good ears. He turned to the small, unmistakably blond boy with sympathy in his eyes. "Then it's their fault for missing out. I think you'll find Hufflepuff's a little more welcoming than other Houses."

He took a step back and looked over the patient, but expectant first years. "Any other questions before we go in? No? Right, then. This," – he motioned to the portrait of the fruit bowl – "is our Common Room's portrait. It's not a talking portrait, so if you catch anyone speaking to it if you walk by, I suggest you back away slowly, because it's likely the person's a bit barmy." He flashed a winning grin as a few of the students chuckled. "The password changes every week, and it'll be up on the bulletin board we have in the Common Room every Monday morning, so don't forget. Also, our main theme for the passwords, if it somehow slips your mind, are famous or recognizable figures in wizard society."

He turned back to the portrait and said in a clear voice for the others to hear, "Nymphadora Tonks." The portrait swung open instantly, and the prefect walked through, motioning for those behind him to do the same. "No need to be shy. We're all like family here."

They followed. As they entered, the newcomers were greeted by an inviting room, fittingly decorated in the colors black and yellow, akin to their House's banner. A large fireplace that was an odd circular shape sat off to one side of the Common Room, though no fire was lit seeing as the weather was still quite warm. Comfy yellow armchairs were scattered in an orderly fashion in front of it, near the magical windows surrounded by yellow hangings (magical because the Common Room was level with the dungeons, of course), and in front of several bookcases that contained many dusty and worn tomes and textbooks.

Two barrel-like doors were placed on the wall directly in front of where the first years stood, most likely leading to the girls' and boys' dormitories.

Older students were sitting comfortably together, chatting with each other, catching up, or waving and grinning at the awed first years.

All in all, Scorpius had to admit that it seemed like a very nice place to spend his time for the next few months.

"It's wonderful!" Alice proclaimed over the loud chatter of the older Hufflepuffs. Several heads nodded their assent.

Xavier grinned. He ushered them eagerly into the room, happy to show off his House's Common Room. "The winter is probably the best season to sit 'round and have a nice chat with your mates," he said, "because the fire starts up and makes the room have that extra homey feeling. The bookcases are full of informative books, pleasure books, and text books if you need to borrow them, but not to keep." He pointed past a group of gossiping girls who waved, giggling, at him when his gaze passed over, to the doors on the far side of the room. "The girls' dormitories are on the right, boys' on the left. When you go through, it's a short tunnel that takes you to the doors. I'll be taking the boys and Miranda over there will take the girls."

The tall, pretty girl he had pointed to stood from her seat by one of the bookcases and walked over. "Hullo, first years," she said, grinning. "Have a good time at the Welcoming Feast, did you?"

Many heads nodded and a few even made groans of appreciation in remembrance of the amazing ensemble of food and drink that had magically appeared on the table an hour or so before.

Miranda chuckled. The ones who had groaned realized what they'd done and blushed. "No need to be bashful," the female prefect reassured, "everyone has that reaction to their first feast at Hogwarts. I think I probably guzzled a whole ham by myself when I was at my first."

"It's true," a fifth year put in behind her. "Mira ate like a pig. Still does." Several students who obviously knew Miranda all chortled.

"Hush up, you!" Miranda scolded. One of the first years snickered quietly, but apparently it was a trait among prefects to have amazing hearing. "What are you snickering about, Isaac?" The boy, Isaac, instantly stopped and looked at her guiltily. "Not like you're any better, you chomp like a cow at the dinner table."

"Oookay, this looks like a little sibling rivalry, so Mira," Xavier appealed, "why don't you two pick it up later after we've showed the others to their dorms. Good?"

Mira muttered under her breath but nodded. "First year girls follow me," she snapped. The younger girls swapped slightly panicked looks as the prefect stomped away but quickly gathered their wits and followed when Miranda turned back around and said, "Well, _c'mon_!" Alice waved at Scorpius before disappearing behind the circular door.

Isaac looked at his feet and mumbled, "Sorry."

The unfazed prefect smiled. "No problem, kid. Mira's always been a bit testy; I can't imagine living with her all year. Ten months is bad enough."

The younger boy looked up and smiled back gratefully.

"Follow me, then." The boys did as they were told, glancing nervously at the older students as they passed.

Scorpius found himself walking next to the boy who looked surprisingly similar to Xavier, though his eyes were more of a dark blue than the prefect's almond brown. Both of their hair, though, was an interesting smattering of light and dark browns. Scorpius, comfortable with the silence between them as they walked through the brightly lit tunnel, was taken aback when the other boy made an effort to initiate a conversation between the two.

"Hiya," he said brightly.

Caught off guard, Scorpius replied, "Uh…hello."

"Alexander Smith," he said, sticking his hand out. Scorpius accepted it politely.

Shaking the hand, Scorpius introduced himself. "Scorpius Malfoy," he said informally. He had a suspicion that formality was a little over the top if he was going to be dorm mates with him for seven years.

"Nice to meet you, Scorpius. Can I call you Scorp? Or Score? You can call me Alex, if you want. I think Alexander is a mouthful, but if you don't want to call me Alex you can call me that."

The blonde found himself more amused than annoyed with Alex's prattle. "You can call me either one, I guess. Doesn't matter. And I think Alex is just fine."

"Wicked." Alex grinned. "Were you nervous at the Sorting earlier? You didn't look all that nervous to me, but when you got into Hufflepuff you looked _really_ shocked! It took a while too, like it couldn't decide where to put you." He paused when Xavier stopped them in front of a line of doors and picked up a list that had been tacked to the wall. "My whole family's been in Hufflepuff. Xavier and I are brother's, but my mum says that he took more after my dad than I did. Which is good, just so you know."

Said boy had been reading the names of boys who would be sharing a dormitory, and finally called out, "Alexander Smith, Benjamin Wood, Isaac Hopkins, Scorpius Malfoy, and Cedric Whitby."

"Ace!" Alex said under his breath. Scorpius smiled and proceeded into the designated room behind the other three boys. Alex trailed excitedly behind him, muttering in annoyance when his brother mussed up his hair as he passed, "Bugger off, Xav."

The room was fairly large and decagonal in shape. Five beds with yellow hangings (that Scorpius was grateful to see were not an intense shade of yellow like the décor in the Common Room) were positioned neatly on every other side of the room. A trunk sat at the end of each bed. Three magical windows portrayed the night sky and the grounds as if they were in the highest tower.

Scorpius found his expensive trunk easily, the differences between it and the other four obvious. He sat down on the soft bed and sighed. Not that he wasn't glad he was sorted into Hufflepuff, but he couldn't help but remember who he was, and what it meant to be him.

"Do you suppose they expect us to stay here for the rest of the night?" Benjamin Wood, whom Scorpius had sat next to during the feast, asked from the perch on his trunk.

Alex said, "I don't think we have to." He was on his bed in a lounging position. "Not that I mind."

Isaac, on the bed to the right of Scorpius, said, "My sister's likely to be out there too, and she was in a right mood earlier. I'd rather stay in here than go out there and have to deal with her. She's not usually like that."

The last boy, Cedric Whitby, was on Scorpius' other side. "I'm going to write to my dad. He'll be ecstatic that I got into Hufflepuff. Cedric Whitby," he added in Scorpius' direction. Apparently the other boys were already associated with each other.

"Scorpius Malfoy. Nice to meet you." He felt uncomfortable now, even surrounded by lightness and the relaxing mattress and pillows. He could tell that Isaac, who had also sat beside him at the feast, was edgy in his presence. He would likely move where he slept by morning.

Scorpius stood from his bed, conscious of the eyes that followed his movement, and knelt down in front of his trunk. He pulled out his Everlasting-Quill, a piece of parchment, and a book written by a Muggle author, Lewis Carroll, to write on and read after he was finished with the letter. His mother had given it to him, saying she wanted him to be open to Muggle heritage. He had been surprised – no, stunned, when she had handed it to him. He remembered his father coming into the room also, and thus had begun to talk about how blood had nothing to do with a person's worth. That even though he himself was a pureblood, half-bloods and Muggle-borns were no different than he. They told him never to be disrespectful of a person because of what blood they had, and if he ever heard someone use the term 'mudblood' vulgarly to a Muggle-born he probably shouldn't associate with them –

"Hey, Score, what're you doing?"

Scorpius jumped, but kept his cool. He stood and answered Alex with a small smile, "Writing a letter to my parents." He moved to sit on his bed and placed the book on his desk as he settled down.

"That's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland!" he heard Isaac say quietly to his left.

Scorpius nodded, glancing up at him. "My mum gave it to me," he explained.

Isaac looked disbelieving. Benjamin had lost interest in what was happening around him and had closed his curtains. Alex had taken a Parchment-Pad from his trunk and a package of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Colorful-Quills. Cedric was looking bored and staring blankly at the ceiling.

"B-but that's a Muggle book," Isaac stammered. Scorpius wanted to laugh. Not that he was surprised that someone found it hard to believe he, a pure-blood wizard of the infamous Malfoy family, would read a book by a Muggle author.

"My parents encourage diversity," he said shortly.

"I-I never would have guessed," Isaac said, though not as unkindly as it could have sounded.

"Guessing is very different than knowing things for a fact." With a curt good-night, Scorpius closed his curtains, cast _lumos_, and peered unhappily at the blank parchment in front of him.

He had a long letter to write.

',',' OFL ',','

Rose awoke to blinding light – er, white, that is. She saw the scratchy sheets of the bed first. Then, she felt her fluffed pillows. And finally, her killer headache. She groaned and put her head in her hands.

"Easy now, Rosie," a voice said, too loudly for her liking. "Don't stress yourself."

"Shush," she ordered quietly from behind her hands. "Too loud…"

The voice chuckled. "Sorry," it replied in a mercifully softer tone.

"S'alright."

Gentle hands grabbed her own. "C'mon, Rose. Let's see those beautiful browns, yeah?"

She protested the movement. "Head hurts," she whinged.

"But it'll feel better if you get used to the light."

"No, it won't," she persisted.

The voice sighed. "Aw, Rosie, would I ever lie to you? All you have to do is open your eyes for a few minutes and you'll get all better."

Rose recognized Albus' voice. She groaned, but lowered her hands obediently.

"That's a girl," Albus coaxed, seeing he was making progress with his stubborn cousin.

Instead of opening her eyes, she asked, "Why are you here, Al? Shouldn't you be at your own house?"

"You mean _our_ House, silly. Madame Flora said you might not remember last night right away. You took a bad tumble back in the Great Hall; bumped your head on the first step, then decided to continue onto the next four. I think you scared the wits out of everyone for a moment there…" He continued talking in an amused voice.

Rose, however, was far from amused. Suddenly, everything that had happened the day before came back to her: the platform, meeting Julius on the train, running into Malfoy, the boat experience where Alice had almost _drowned_ and she hadn't even stuck around to check if she was _okay_…then the Sorting. Malfoy had been sorted into Hufflepuff, of all Houses, then Al, poor, poor Albus, had been sorted into Slytherin. And then…oh, Merlin. Then _she_ was sorted into Slytherin. And she'd fainted!

Her eyes snapped open and immediately found Albus' stunning greens from his seat on the edge of her bed in front of her. He smiled, oblivious to her panicked state. "Good morning, sleepy head. How was your beauty sleep?"

She stared at him. _I was sorted into Slytherin…_

"Well, yeah," Albus said. Oh. She hadn't realized she'd said it out loud. "But as long as we're in the same House it can't be too bad."

She shivered. Slytherin. She was sorted into Slytherin.

" – and not everyone is all that bad. I've even made a few friends. They're my dorm mates, although I don't like two of them at all. They're nasty blokes, and dunces, too. But the other two are nice! One of them is Keenan MacMillan. His dad's the Charms professor here. And then there's Zachariah Zabini. He's pretty cool once you're able to get past the arrogant, I'm-better-than-you attitude."

"Albus," Rose whispered.

His smile dropped when he recognized the expression on her face. "Are you okay, Rosie? Do you need a potion for the pain? Madame Flora told me you had a slight concussion."

"N-no, I just…I – I just can't believe…" she trailed off, but he seemed to understand her.

"You can't believe the Hat place you in Slytherin? Neither could I, but it's not like there's anything we can do about it. I already owled my dad and he's sure to have told your parents. You'll probably get a letter back by dinner, I suppose."

Rose cursed mentally but knew it was for the best. She could feel tears in the corners of her eyes. She attempted to keep them back, but they were just as stubborn as herself.

"Shhh, Rose," Albus said, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. "It's alright. I'm here. I'll always be here, whether you want me or not. Through thick or thin."

"I – I'll always want you, Albus," she stuttered through suppressed sobs.

"Shhh," he said again, "this is nothing. We'll get through this like we do everything else: on top and together. Yeah?"

She nodded her head shakily. Her arms snaked around Albus' warm body and she dug her head into his shoulder, ignoring the small burst of pain.

Albus rubbed his hands soothingly up and down her back. "Slytherin isn't as dreadful as you might think, either. I managed to get in and out alive for one night, I'm sure we'll last the rest. Besides," he added, "not everyone is like their parents, and not everyone in that – _our_ House are the children of Death Eaters. Even if they are, they do have minds of their own. They can think for themselves, make their own decisions and opinions."

She disagreed, but didn't voice it. She wouldn't ruin this moment. This was the closest she'd been to Albus for a long period of time in a while.

"Hey! Maybe it'll be your job to make the people who are bad in our House to see the good in the world. I can't think of anyone better to do that."

It was a nice thought, she knew. But it would probably be nearly impossible for her to reason with such sadistic people. She doubted it would work. They had too little common sense, too little thoughts of their own, like Albus had insisted they had. Their parents had likely brainwashed them into believing in their own opinions. Yes, maybe they had been innocent once, but that time had passed long ago.

"I know what you're thinking," Albus continued. "You're thinking that they shouldn't have a chance and that they're as evil as their parents might have been. But people change, Rosie. They change, and everyone deserves a second chance." She remained unconvinced, until Albus added something she would never have guessed in a million years.

"Voldemort, the Dark Lord, murderer, their, torturer, among countless other terrible things; my dad gave that vile creature a second chance. He told him to give a chance at love. At feeling love. He declined, obviously, and my dad had to k – kill him," he stumbled on the thought of his gentle dad killing another person, even the Dark Lord, "but at least my dad was brave enough to give him that chance."

Rose pulled back and stared into Albus' face. "But we're not brave, Albus. We're ambitious and sly and cunning. We're not loyal, like Hufflepuffs, we're not intelligent, like Ravenclaws, and we're not brave, like Gryffindors." She said her last words with a sob and lowered her head.

Albus refused for the conversation to end and softly pushed her chin up with his hand. "We can be all of those things, Rose. There's no rule that now we're Slytherins, we can't act like Hufflepuffs and be loyal to our friends. Would you ever abandon me if I was in trouble?" She shook her head. "We can still be intelligent, like Ravenclaws. I can't imagine _you_ getting a Terrible in any class. And we _can_ be brave, like Gryffindors. I know neither you nor I would ever leave the other to fight some kind of danger alone. When our adventures start because, despite what Hagrid said yesterday, they _will_, I'll be right next to you through the whole of it. Will you?"

He paused, waiting for her to respond. She kept her eyes down but her head was still captured in his grip. Finally, she looked up. "Of course I will, you prat. How could you ever think otherwise?"

The grin that split across her cousin's face was worth every word she had said. She had spoken the truth. She would never leave her cousin when he needed her, not if she could help it. He hugged her enthusiastically. "So are you really fine with being a Slytherin now?"

Rose thought for a moment. "No," she admitted, "I'm not fine with it, but I'll adapt. I have to, don't I?"

"Yeah…but it'll get easier once you make some new friends in our House. I've met a lot of new people already, and although some of them are _exactly_ like a Slytherin you think would be, some of them are just as shy and nervous as we are."

Rose listened again as he prattled on about his new friends. Meanwhile, she thought about what he had told her. Could she really look beyond the fact that many of the Slytherins' parents were Death Eaters? She wasn't so sure, but for Albus, she would try. If it didn't work, she'd make friends outside of her House, and devote most of her time to assignments and studying – not that she would have done anything different than that before deciding to turn over a new leaf.

And then she noticed that despite the silent debate going on in her head, she had already agreed to Albus' crazy but genuine plan. She didn't share his exact opinions yet, but maybe in time she would.

"Are you hungry?" Albus asked, breaking through her thoughts. "Do you want to get breakfast in the Great Hall? Classes start in two hours, but people should be eating by now."

"Sure," Rose said. Albus hopped off of the hospital bed and grabbed her arm to help her down as well. When she was off, she swayed slightly but kept her balance.

Albus asked concernedly, "Are you sure you're okay? You're head doesn't hurt? You don't feel woozy or like you'll…faint again?"

His friend blushed. "No. I think I'm good in the fainting and humiliating myself department for the next year or so."

"Sorry."

"No, it's alright." She shook her head and scolded herself silently. They moved toward the doors. "I've been a real prat myself, lately. I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting. I think the stress and Malfoy and – and now being in Slytherin really got to me. I didn't mean to snap at you yesterday, and I know that Alice fell into the Lake because I was being such a jerk to Malfoy."

They stepped into the corridor. "No one blames you for what happened, Rose. Alice least of all, although I don't think Scorpius will want to be overly friendly with you anytime soon." Rose blanched at the reminder of the horrid things she had said to the blond boy who looked so much like his father. "About Scorpius…"

"I know, Al," Rose said. "I'm sorry for everything I said to him. I was so rude and unpleasant. I don't know what got into me."

They were on the Second Floor staircase by then. Albus looked at her. "I do," he said cryptically. "But I don't want to talk about what you did or said yesterday. I want to know how you'll act toward him now."

Now…She had wondered about that herself. She knew she would have to be at least decent with him, for Albus, but there was something about the boy that absolutely riled her. It could have been his cold stares, or his expressionless face, or even how he spoke. Rose couldn't pin down what factor in him that caused her to hate him so much.

"I'll try, Al. It seems like that trying is all I'm doing, nowadays, but I promise you, I'll try."

They were walking down the Grand Staircase. When they reached the bottom, they both heard a door slide open to their left and voices becoming clear. Albus recognized one of them, and he muttered, "Let's test that theory then, shall we?" Then he walked over to the small group of Hufflepuff first years who had exited.

"Hey, Scorp!" he greeted the pale, grey-eyed boy who was dressed in robes with yellow stripes, like all his other fellow Hufflepuffs. Self-consciously, Rose peeked down at the robes she had worn the night before, rumpled now, as she walked after Albus, and was unsurprised to find the sides a deep green color.

Scorpius looked away from his dorm mates and raised a hand in greeting to the smiling Slytherin, adding a small smile of his own. He nodded his head formally to Rose.

"Morning, Albus," he said, "Rose."

Albus gave a happy 'good morning!' back and Rose nodded politely.

"Good morning, Scorpius," she said coolly. She didn't miss the sliver of surprise that flashed through his eyes when she said his first name in favor of his surname.

Albus, unperturbed by the iciness suspended between the two, looked over at his new friend's dorm mates. They were all privy to the battle Malfoy and Weasley appeared to be having with their eyes. "Hullo," Albus greeted. "I'm Albus Potter. I see you all know Scorp here."

Scorpius, his attention recaptured when Albus spoke his nickname, shifted positions to stand beside the dark-haired boy. "Albus, these are my dorm mates, Benjamin Wood, Isaac Hopkins, Alexander Smith, and Cedric Whitby." Albus nodded to each of them in turn, taking note of which ones looked the most amiable and also how Isaac, a small boy for his age, seemed the most nervous of the four.

The third Scorpius had introduced, Alexander something-or-other, held out his hand. "Hey, Albus. You can call me Alex. I think Alexander's a mouthful to say every single time someone talks to me, so of course I thought, why not use Alex instead? So I started asking people to call me that. Mind, you don't have to call me Alex, I'm only asking. You know, go free will, and all. You can call me Al, if you want, but I hear they call you Al, so I imagine that would get pretty confusing if suddenly everyone's going around talking about one Al when really they mean the other. But you can still call me that, if you want! It could be cool and – "

"Okay, okay," Scorpius cut him off, much to Albus' relief. "I think we can stick to Alex, if that's alright with you." Without another word, Scorpius walked away from them, followed quickly by Albus and Rose.

"Wow," Albus said, amused. "He must be fun to have around in the morning."

Scorpius looked over at him. "A joy, I assure you."

"How was your first day as a Hufflepuff? Looks like your Common Room is as low as the Dungeons. Is yours as dark and dreary as Slytherin's?" Albus asked. Rose's ears perked up despite her initial hostility.

"No, they're actually quite comfortable. It's all black and yellow, but yellow is more of the dominating color. We have windows too, charmed to show the outside of the castle as though we were on top of a tower, not in the lower part."

"Lucky," Albus stated, "ours is all dark green and we have practically no light. I could barely tell whether I was putting my pants on or my shirt this morning. And our Common Room is full of these stupid stiff-backed chairs and it's so _formal_."

Scorpius smiled one of his small smiles as they entered the Hall. The three of them stopped and watched as Scorpius' roommates passed by. "I suppose I'll see you two later, then?" he said questioningly.

Albus, unexpectedly, looked back at Rose. Startled, she found she understood what he wanted of her. "W-why don't we sit with you? If your Housemates won't mind, anyway."

A second flash of surprise swept across Scorpius' features until he bottled it away. "I'm sure that it would be fine with them," he replied.

As he turned to lead them to the table, he began coughing. His face scrunched and his fist came up to cover his mouth as the racking coughs shook his body. After a moment they died down.

"You okay, Scorp?" Albus asked in concern.

Scorpius nodded and cleared his throat. "Yes, yes, I'm fine," he responded. "Just a little dry, I guess."

With his back turned to them, he didn't notice Rose's miniscule frown or Albus' creased forehead. "So," he said, changing the subject as he sat down next to Benjamin, "when do you think we'll get our timetables?"

A/N2: Obviously, I'm American, so I apologize for any annoying British-American slip-ups.


	6. Can You See The Danger?

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: Holy fudge! I am so sorry for taking so long to update, but I've been busy, very busy. The highlight of this busy-ness way my mother's wedding, but otherwise it was all just crappy crap that I had to do before I went back to school and blah blah blah…Anyway! The plot of the story finally comes into play in this chapter. I've always been fascinated by this particular magical object, and I hope it doesn't seem unoriginal of me to bring it back into my own stories. Read, enjoy, drink something so you don't get dehydrated from your continuous screams and hollers at me for not updating sooner, and review!

~*~Thanks~*~

',','Rehearsed Rain',','

Chapter Six: Do You See The Danger?

"**Considering how dangerous everything is, nothing is really very frightening."~Gertrude Stein **

Scorpius, Albus, and Rose's first week at Hogwarts lasted for what seemed like a lifetime.

For Scorpius, the hardest part was fitting in. Being in Hufflepuff, the House where everyone was welcome, had some advantages, but not enough to fend of Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses' hostility toward him. He had made a couple of friends, mainly in his roommates, though Isaac was still on the wary side. He had also become good friends with Lysander Scamander, an odd boy, no doubt due to his parentage – Luna Scamander (née Lovegood) was an odd one herself, his father had once informed him – and began conversing with him more than any other student, other than Albus.

Albus and Rose had been his most constant companions, more so the former than the latter. Albus would sit next to him during every Slytherin – Hufflepuff class they had together. Rose would grumble some, but never complained or insulted him as much as she had on the first day. He suspected the dark – haired boy had something to do with that.

The easiest class for him had been DADA, which was taught by his godfather, Blaise Zabini. He also shared it with Albus and Rose, so it was useful to have a partner who didn't want to curse his brains out every time they partnered up.

On Wednesday, his first Herbology class, he was approached by Professor Longbottom, who, he had learned when he met Frank and Alice while on the path to the boats, was Alice and Frank's father. The short, dark – haired man was kind enough, though Scorpius was certain he detected minute traces of wariness and even a bit of resentment in his eyes. The smiling professor had informed him that their sessions would take place from next week on for every Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Saturday.

Rose was slowly adapting to her surroundings. She spent extensive amounts of time in the library, but gradually that was now becoming less and less. Her dorm mates, a rude Henrietta Nott, a snobby Vanity Goyle, a tidy Ambrosia Flint, and a meek Loretta Turpin, who insisted quietly that she preferred to be called Lori. Rose and her had become fast friends.

She hadn't had luck with many other Slytherins the way Albus apparently had. She had found three decent girls, and five decent boys. The boys had all been introduced to her by her cousin.

She had no favorite classes because she was absolutely in love with all of them. However, her opinions of some of the teachers ranged far and wide in that sense. In example, she thought Professor Slughorn was an exemplary Potions master, and would have made a wonderful instructor, if not for the fact that he seemed to be in the habit of, as her father put it, 'collecting students who show either a vast aptitude for knowledge or a distinguishable flare of fame that ran through their family. Unfortunately for Rose, she was no exception of either triats.

Albus had been having the time of his life. He thoroughly enjoyed all his classes, though he found some of the professors quite odd, and he had, amazingly, picked out some of the more favorable Slytherins and created a tight band of friends – including his cousin and Scorp, of course. He had discovered that despite being sly, conniving, and downright disturbing sometimes, many other Slytherins in his year were very talented intellectuals.

The only factor that disturbed his week was his family. James had been giving sending him dark glares at every meal. No translation was needed for them. But he wondered if his brother actually thought he had intended to end up in his whole family's rival House. Surely he had enough sense to know that no one was capable of tricking the Sorting Hat.

His cousins had been less cold, but just as distant. Victoire, Dominique, and Louis had all sent him sympathetic looks from across the Great Hall but never approached him there or when they passed in the corridors. Fred and James had been terrible, and he suspected that he would soon find himself being pulled into a broom closet and either getting beaten to a pulp – though he doubted they would take it that far – or having a long and serious chat with them.

It turned out to be the latter.

It was the first Saturday of the school year, a day of relaxation in the morning, amiable socializing in the afternoon, and, in the older students case, hosting discreet but wild parties at night. Albus, being the son of the Boy – Who – Lived, had received a rather rowdy invitation the previous morning by one of the school's owls. It said that he didn't have to send a confirmation back, but if he wanted to come he had to bring the invitation as a pass to get in.

Rose had peered at it disdainfully when he showed it to her, and said something about it being completely inappropriate and how it was hardly worth his time. Alice had snatched it from her hands and laughed when she read it. She had pointed out cheerfully that if he went he would probably be the shortest person there.

When he had shown it to Scorpius, the blonde boy had raised an eyebrow, coughed, and hadn't commented further. For him, that was fairly talkative.

The four of them, along with Scorpius and Alice's dorm mates, had been sitting at the Hufflepuff table, something they did every other day. Scorpius and Alice, due to the acrimony of most of the Slytherins, never strayed from their own table.

Now, Albus was walking down the corridor toward his dormitory alone when he was suddenly grabbed from behind and forced roughly into a nearby closet. Startled, he yelped and attempted to draw his wand. Even if he didn't know many spells, he could still put up one hell of a fight.

"Merlin, Al!" his captor shrieked when he elbowed him in what he assumed was his ribs. "It's me, you twit!"

Albus stopped struggling; he knew that voice anywhere. "James!"

"Of course it's me, you dolt," his brother answered, letting him go, as if it was perfectly natural for an older brother to steal his younger randomly and lock them both in a broom closet.

Albus asked, "What in Merlin's name were you thinking, grabbing me from behind like that? I could have seriously hurt you!"

"_Lumos_," his brother cast. "Like you could ever hurt me, Al. I'm ten times stronger than you, physically and magically."

Albus wanted to rub the egotistical expression from his brother's face – oh, wait. That's just what his regular face looked like. Huh, how could he forget? "You're only stronger than me because you're older and you've already learned a bunch of spells before I did."

James smirked. "Keep thinking that."

"What did you want anyway?" he asked. He leaned against the wall and scrunched his nose in disgust, looking around the cramped room. "And did it have to be in a broom closet? This place is all dusty."

"Don't whine, Al. It's unattractive."

"Oh, and you would know all about _that_, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," his brother answered confidently, "I would."

"Yeah, right."

"Shut up."

"Whatever."

James sighed, and for a moment his expression changed to one of detached anxiety.

"Are you alright…?" Al asked cautiously.

His brother blinked and, sadly, his aggravating persona returned. "I'm fine, little brother. I just needed to talk to you about some rather interesting recent events." He raise his eyebrow knowingly.

"Recent events?" Al said innocently. "Why, I have no idea what you mean."

"Yes, you do, Albus. About you and your _House_," James said, frustration leaking into his voice.

Albus looked him in the eye, but ruined the moment by sneezing. "Is there a problem with my House, James?" he asked after wiping his nose on the back of his hand, afterwards realizing that was a bad idea.

James finally lost his patience. "You're in bloody Slytherin, Albus! How can there not be a problem?"

"Clearly there _can_ not be a problem, since I don't see one."

"You know you got your eyesight from dad, Albus," James replied smartly, even though he knew his brother had perfect eyes.

Albus retaliated, "It's never appeared to be a problem before now."

"You were never so chummy with Slytherins before now."

"I am a Slytherin!" Albus finally yelled. "I'm a Slytherin, a snake, an evil, terrible person like everyone seems to think all Slytherins are. Because _that is my House."_

"But Al, you and Rose…You know you're both supposed to be in Gryffindor. Rose at least belongs in Ravenclaw. You're like two lions in a snake pit, and those snakes don't have any good cells in their bodies."

Albus had long since forsaken his relaxed posture and started advancing on his older, taller, and, need he admit it, stronger brother. "I'm not a lion, James. I'm not a Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin, and that's my home now. I'm a snake. And so is Rose, even though she won't fess up to it." He jabbed his brother warningly in the chest and said in a low voice, "And if you even think about turning her, think again, because there's no possible way she could change Houses even if she wanted to, and I'll write to mum about what you're trying to do."

James looked flabbergasted, but not yet speechless. "You're…you're just like them! I thought you didn't deserve this, but apparently you're just as deceiving as them. You're…you're so…"

"Slytherin?" Albus offered, even though his brother's accusation hurt him. "Why yes, yes I am." With that, he cast a simple '_Alohomora'_ on the door and slammed it behind him as he left.

He returned to the Common Room just in time for the dinner bell to ring throughout the school. He sighed and turned back around the way he had come from. _Just his luck_, he thought.

As he walked, he heard the chilling portrait of Salazar Slytherin open as people began pouring out of the Common Room. Feet thundered behind him and he smirked as a few people even ran past him in their enthusiasm to get to dinner. He was unsurprised to see that most of them were first years. It was well known among all by now that dinner was the best meal at Hogwarts. Thought the tea was a close runner – up.

He felt a finger poke his shoulder and looked behind him to see his new friend and dorm mate, Keenan MacMillan grinning at him.

"Hi, Albus," he greeted, moving to walk beside him.

"Hey, Keenan," Albus said back. "Have any trouble with your dad after lunch?"

Keenan's dad, none other than Ernie Macmillan, Charms Professor and ex – member of Dumbledore's Army, was not exactly thrilled about having his son in Slytherin. He wasn't overly vocal in public, but Albus could tell by the tension between father and son that there were more arguments brewing below the surface.

His friend shrugged. "He's getting over it," he replied nonchalantly. "What about you? Have you talked to your family yet?"

"I talked to my brother, and I wrote my mum and dad." Albus shuddered at the thought of his parents reaction to either his letter or the Hogwarts letter that notified them of which House he was sorted into. Either one was a nightmare.

They continued to trek through the sparsely lit dungeon. It was a gloomy, frightening place that glowed an eerie green, similar to their Common Room, for the fact that it was partly situated under the Black Lake. Albus wondered why they called it the dungeons, really. Hogwarts was a school for kids and teenagers. Couldn't they call it the Cellar, or Dark Downstairs? Surely that would be better than a place that sounded as if people were held prisoner or tortured daily.

He supposed it was cool, in a way. Especially since they were cut off from the rest of the school. He compared it to having your parents rent out their basement to you, only bigger, better, and much more entertaining.

He hadn't realized they'd reached the Great Hall until Keenan was ushering him into his seat at the Slytherin table, near the end and close to the Staff Table. They were some of the first people in the Hall, besides the Hufflepuffs. He doubted the Gryffindors would be there soon, since their Common Room was on the seventh floor, and he had no idea where the Ravenclaw's was, but judging by how long it took them to get to every meal, he guessed it was more than a couple floors up.

Looking across the room, he could easily identify Scorpius' bright white-blond hair among the cluster of Hufflepuffs already seated at the table. Predictably, he was sitting next to Alice again. The two seemed inseparable lately, and it was amusing to watch Scorpius, who didn't seem very experienced in friendly interaction, deal with the perky, energetic girl who had latched onto him.

The amusement he felt every time he saw it always faded when he caught the expressions on the male Longbottoms' faces. Frank was known to be very protective of his twin, insisting that she was his little sister, despite the fact that they were born seven minutes apart. However, those seven minutes could have been seven years to Frank. Whenever Frank saw his little sister conversing with who he thought to be a bad influence, he instantly overlooked how Scorpius had _saved her life_ and glared at the pair. Neither, luckily, noticed.

Neville Longbottom, a gentle, caring man, never looked predominantly mean or menacing. He almost always had a smile on his face, and a carefree gait. But when he looked over at the Hufflepuff table during meals, the set smile would slip off and a small glint of…something would appear in his eye. Not anger or malice, Albus knew, but maybe…distrust?

Half – standing, half- sitting, Albus waved cheerfully over to the grey – eyed boy and lively brown – haired girl. Alice, as per usual, waved enthusiastically back. Scorpius inclined his head in greeting. Albus had to grin; seeing the two opposites together called for a quite humorous mealtime.

A hard elbow jab on his left brought him back to his own table. Huffing, he sat back down and glared at his abusive cousin. "Must you poke me so mercilessly, Rose? I was waiting oh, so patiently for my meal and then you come along and spoil my pre – eating mood."

Rose rolled her eyes and answered in an equally exaggerated voice, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I was clearly not thinking rightly, or else I would not have pressed my ungodly elbow into your precious side."

"Quite alright, peasant. You may feed me when my feast arrives. I hope you have at least washed those filthy hands of yours." Rose punched him in the shoulder.

"Be quiet, jerk," she ordered. "I have a migraine from all the mold on the books in the library."

He said, "Then maybe you should take a break from studying." She looked at him as if she said the world would end in ten seconds. "Honestly! You're worse than your mum when she was our age. It's only the first week of school, and now it's the weekend. Relax a little!"

He knew she would never leave off studying when there was more to learn, but it was worth a try. "Not a chance, Al," she said, proving him right. "I only study four nights a week, though, and I'm not doing anything today…"

Albus jumped at the suggestion. "We should explore the castle!" he exclaimed, causing Keenan, who had been chatting to a third year Slytherin, to give him an odd look. In a quieter but just as excited voice, he continued. "We could ask Alice and Scorpius to come with us, and maybe Keenan can come. So we can know where all of our classes are better, and maybe find some new things, like those hidden passages Uncle George was telling us about."

"We'd have to start right after dinner," Rose informed him, not in the least bit fazed that Al would suggest bringing Scorpius with them, "if we want to get back to the Dormitories before first year curfew." It was strictly mandatory that all first years were to be in their Common Rooms by nine o'clock, but they didn't have to be in their dorms until ten. Dinner was served at six on the dot, and the castle _was_ quite large.

"Yeah," Al agreed. "I'll go ask them after we eat."

Rose rolled her eyes yet again. "Albus, no one else is here but Hufflepuff and Slytherin. It'll be a good ten minutes before the food is out. Go ask them now."

"Merlin's beard, woman," Albus said, doing as he was told. "You'll be the death of me."

"Telling you to ask another person a question doesn't qualify as killing you, you know," she said to his back as he stood and walked toward the other House's table.

"It is if you keep me from meals and starve me to death!" he returned. He grinned when he heard her mumble something under her breath. Most likely a string of foreign curses she had picked up from Domi.

"Hello!" he said with a smile when he reached the two Hufflepuffs.

Before Alice or Scorpius could return the greeting, Alexander Smith popped in front of him. "Hullo, Albus!" he said loudly. "How've you been?"

Caught off guard, Albus stumbled. Alice snickered from behind Alex. Scorpius merely blinked. He was probably used to the rambunctious boy by now. "Er, hi…Alex. I've been fine, thanks. I mean, about the same as I was when I saw you in DADA yesterday."

"That's great, mate!" Alex said, still grinning. Albus thought it was actually a little disturbing after a while. "Were you going to sit here with us again today?"

"No, actually," Albus said, grateful for finding a quick getaway. "I was going to ask Scorpius and Alice something."

"Oh," Alex said. He sounded dejected, but his creepy smile didn't lessen a bit. "Well, you're welcome to sit here anytime you want."

Albus gave him a small, awkward smile back. "Right, thanks." He watched as the brunette walked off to sit with another Hufflepuff who looked similar to him. He assumed they were brothers.

Light laughter brought him back to the two Hufflepuffs before him. It was only Alice, of course, but Scorpius was smiling softly and amusement twined nicely into his spiraling grey eyes.

"Bugger off, Alice," he said lightly. He though back to just how well she took to being insulted or joked at. Surprisingly, she didn't show off her unique Longbottom temper and merely smiled at him.

"Were you going to ask us something?" Scorpius asked. His voice was curt, but open.

Albus remembered himself. "Oh, yeah! Rose and I wanted to know if you two wanted to if you two and another one of our evil Slytherin friends wanted to join us in wandering the school after dinner." His joke was toned down enough, but he saw some of the previous light in Scorp's eyes leave before he seemed to get over whatever had flashed through his mind and smiled wider – which meant he almost created a real smile – at Albus.

"I'd love to," he answered for himself.

"Me too," Alice said, looking nearly tenderly at the blonde beside her. He was, after all, her savior.

Al leaned in to hug Alice and gave Scorpius a big smile. "Great," he said. "We'll meet you at the Grand Staircase five minutes after dinner's over, okay?"

Both Hufflepuffs nodded their assent and turned to their newly appeared meals. Albus' jaw dropped open. He stomped over to his House table. "I knew you were trying to starve me!" he yelled at his conniving cousin.

',',' OFL ',','

When Albus asked Keenan to accompany them on gallivanting through the castle, the boy had immediately agreed with much zealous. Now, three quarters of an hour later, all five first years were grouped to the side of the Grand Staircase, watching as the other students passed up the stairs or into the doors on either side.

Finally, after a long enough time for the hyper – active Alice to get patient and begin tapping her toes and sulking, the long stem of students slowed.

The relieved girl cried, "At last!" The others rolled their eyes.

"So where should we head first?" Albus asked the group. He had unofficially taken up being the leader of their outing. "Up, down, right, left?"

Rose suggested, "Why don't we work our way up? I think a lot of the important classes and places are there. Not to mention the Hospital Wing is located on the first floor, but that floor is huge. If there's an emergency, I think I'd like knowing where it is I can get help from, yeah?"

The four around her nodded their assent. They all wondered why they hadn't put the Wing at the most accessible point, instead of placing stairs between the person and place, but assumed the founders had not been expecting too many major injuries at a school for eleven to eighteen year olds.

They started up the grandiose marble steps, chatting as they went, their feet making a small _pitter patter_ noise on each one. Alice, it seemed, had found a common interest between herself and Keenan: they were both avid collectors of Chocolate Frog Trading Cards. As they went they began a passionate discussion over which were the five most famous cards. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius found themselves turning a strange bright red color when their parents' names were added to the mix.

Albus, aware of the embarrassment of the two beside him, tried to strike up an interesting conversation of his own as they made their way through the first floor rooms.

"How has your week been, Scorp?" he asked the composed white-blond. He saw Rose look over with veiled curiosity.

"Fine," Scorp answered shortly. "As well as to be expected, I suppose."

Albus pointed to a large archway. "There's the Hospital Wing, Rose." The girl nodded, turning and finding who – knows – what to stare at on the old walls and portraits. "Did any of your family get back to you after you sent them the letter?" Albus persisted. He enjoyed the challenge of breaking through the other boy's shell.

"My mum and dad both wrote me separate letters," Scorpius answered, "and since neither conveyed death threats or words of disownment or disinheriting me, I think it went fairly well."

"That's good…My mum and dad got back to me too, and they told me they didn't mind about which House I was in either, and that they're proud of me. It was a lot better than what I expected, though I don't think they'd go as far as death threats and disownment…But my cousins are being nuisances," he added. He suspected that being personal with Scorpius wasn't something the grey – eyed blond was used to, since his eyes widened slightly at the confession. Not that it was some big secret Al had spilled out, but after only vaguely sharing what his parents _hadn't_ put in his letter, he had expected the same from Albus.

"I'm not surprised they are," Scorpius said. "They hardly could have anticipated you being sorted into all of their House's rival House. I barely expected to be sorted into Hufflepuff myself."

They passed by the DADA classroom, which they had entered for the first time the day before, and the current Transfiguration professor, Michael Corner's office. Hearing some bustling inside, they hurried past.

"Isn't it great having DADA on the last day of classes for the week?" Alice asked. Along with sharing DADA, Hufflepuff and Slytherin also attended Astronomy, Herbology, and Charms together.

Keenan begged to differ. "Not if you have Charms _and_ Double Potions on the same day." They passed the History of Magic and Muggle Studies classrooms and headed to the second floor. "Double Potions always gives me cramped hand afterwards from stirring and cutting ingredients, and then in DADA I can't hold my wand right," he complained.

"Try taking History of Magic in the morning. I'm pretty sure Professor Binns wants us all to be bored to death so he'll have more company," Alice said.

Scorpius put in his two knuts. "It's not so bad; I think Professor Binns teaches quite an interesting subject, he just needs to liven up a bit. Pardon the pun."

"There's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Rose interjected. They all looked at it disinterestedly.

"When d'you suppose she's going to go away, or go into the light, or whatnot?" Albus wondered.

Before anyone could answer, ahigh-pitched voice shrieked from inside the bathroom, "_Never_!"

Albus, startled, stepped back quickly. "Okay…"

Rose laughed. "I think you got your answer, Al."

"I didn't mean to upset her!" Al cried indignantly. "I was just asking a question."

"Come on, Mr. Smooth," Rose said, taking his arm. Alice, Keenan, and Scorpius were already heading past the DADA Professor Zabini's office and toward the third floor staircase. "Let's catch up with the others."

They arrived to where the three were waiting at the base of the stairs. "This floor was boring," Keenan whinged.

"I heard the third floor is more interesting," Scorpius put in, leading the procession up the steps. "Apparently there's a passage somewhere that takes you to Hogsmeade."

"Not," Rose said sternly, "that any of us would ever put it to use. Right?" If they hadn't been climbing the stairs, she would have had her fist on her hip and her toe would be tapping, punctuating the silence before the answer was given.

"Right…" Al reassured carelessly, winking at the Slytherin and Hufflepuffs beside him.

Keenan smirked. "Of course not, Rosie," he added. "We would _never_ break rules like that."

Rose obviously saw through the thinly veiled lie, but all she did was huff and say, "Don't call me Rosie."

Alice groaned. "Gah, you guys are so boring. Come on!" She ran off as soon as they reached the top of the stairs in the direction of one of the many corridors.

"Alice!" Rose shouted after her. She sighed. "And she says Binns will be the death of us." She took off after her.

The boys stared at each other. "Do you suppose we should…?"

"I guess," Albus answered Keenan.

"It's probably what Alice intended," Scorpius said. He followed after the two girls at a considerably slower pace. Albus and Keenan followed his lead.

',','OFL',','

"Alice!" Rose shouted out to her troublesome friend. "Where did you go?"

After running through the Charms corridor and seeing no sign of the girl, Rose had doubled back and run into the boys. She had, of course, taken over the situation and told them to split up into pairs. Only, she hadn't expected Keenan (the traitor) to drag Al off first thing and leave her with Scorpius Malfoy, alone and completely vulnerable.

She tried to ignore him now as he trailed behind her, but it was hard work, what with the bright, flashing blonde hair, those telltale grey eyes, and his contradicting soft and sharp facial features. She caught herself several times glancing in his direction.

She cursed in French and groaned. "This is such an Alice thing to do," she said, not directing it to Scorpius. It was more of a mutter to herself, if anything. But he still saw fit to answer.

"She does seem to be the type to run off quite a lot," he said in his angelically – no, _annoyingly_ – soft voice. "Her and her dad don't appear to be anything alike."

Rose narrowed her eyes as she peered into a large nook in the wall. "She is, she just takes after her mum more." _Merlin, I'm actually having a civil conversation with him_, she thought despairingly. Just because she had promised Albus she would try to be decent to him didn't mean she'd be friendly.

"That explains it," Scorpius said.

Rose took out her wand. "This is taking too long," she told him in explanation. Lifting her wand and pointing it randomly, she intoned, "_Point Me_, Alice Longbottom." Instantly, a pale line of light erupted silently from the tip and wound in front of them.

Rose smiled. "Alright then," she said, "let's go." They stepped to the left of the streak and walked diligently forward.

After a moment, Scorpius commented, accompanied by a usual racking cough, "Is that cherry?"

"Is what cherry?"

"Your wand," he replied. "Is it wood from a cherry tree?"

She stared at him. So he knew wood types…interesting. "Yes, it is. How did you know?"

"I like Herbology," he said simply. "Do you know what cherry wood stands for?"

She shook her head reluctantly. "I haven't had the time to research that yet," she admitted. If there was one thing she hated more than a Malfoy, it was knowing less about something than a Malfoy.

"Cherry is the tree that represents the heart. It symbolizes compassion toward other people and relieving the heart of past pain." The way he was staring at her was unnerving. "Mine is ash. It depicts trust, ambition, and faith."

"Intriguing," she muttered. They turned a corner and the line disappeared through a closed door. "Why in Merlin's name would she go in there?"

Scorpius shrugged at the rhetorical question and stepped up to the impressive door. He gripped the knob, gave Rose one last look, and pulled it open.

The room itself surpassed the original impressiveness that surrounded its entrance. It wasn't large, but not especially small either. There were stain glass windows on all sides, that wouldn't have made sense if one didn't take in the fact that this was a world of magic. The windows cast entrancing, colorful shadows on the floor, illuminating the squatting form of –

"Alice!" Rose yelled. She crouched down next to her small friend. "What were you thinking, running off like that? You could have gotten lost."

Alice, her eyes glazed somewhat, turned slowly to face the red – haired girl. "Do you see that?" she asked in a wonder – filled voice. "In the mirror? Do you see that?"

Rose glanced up and noticed for the first time the mirror that was in the corner of the room. She wondered how she could have missed it, in its magnificence and glory. It was covered in the beautiful colors from the windows. Around the intricate edge was an inscription in a language Rose had never seen before.

It read: __Erised___ stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi._

She heard footsteps behind her. "What is that?" Scorpius asked – or rather attempted to ask but was interrupted by yet another of his harsh coughing fits. Only this one didn't end. It lasted so long that both Rose and Alice looked at him fearfully, not able to discern his face behind his clenched fist.

The Mirror of Erised stood forgotten as the blond boy both girls realized they cared much about fainted before their eyes.

At least the coughing had ended.

A/N2: Sorry for yet another cliffie. I just needed to add, also, that I revised and changed all of the chapters before this, and that the next chapter is actually going to be an interlude of the letters Scorpius, Rose, Albus, and one mysterious person received and sent during the first week of Hogwarts. Review!


	7. Interlude: Lucifer and Ezekiel

Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs solely to J. K. Rowling. I am making no profit off of this story except for the enjoyment of writing it.

A/N: I mentioned this at the end of the previous chapter, but this is going to be a little interlude to see what the letters our characters received and sent out said. Plus, the last one is tied in with our plot, but it's not an essential read. On the other hand, if you want to try and break the 'code,' be my guest. If you don't enjoy these kind of things, don't read. Plus, I know the name Ezekiel doesn't exactly mean what's in the title, but it ties in with the plot, so let's go with it. Read, Enjoy, Review!

~*~Thanks~*~

',','Rehearsed Rain',','

**Interlude: Lucifer, the Devil; Ezekiel, He Who Holds the Strength of God**

**September 1****st****, 2017**

Dear Mum and Dad,

I don't know whether or not you have received the owl from Hogwarts as of yet, but I assume you have. If not, this news should no doubt surprise you: I have been sorted into Hufflepuff. It is, indeed, something I would not have expected to happen in the history of the noble – yet – not Malfoy family. I may be seen as a disgrace by our relatives, but I hope you do not share their biased opinions.

Needless to say, everyone in the Great Hall was shocked when the Hat first screamed out my new House. However, as I was walking to take my seat, I heard a round of applause begin. The person to initiate it (dad may not be so pleased by this) was a certain boy by the name of Albus Severus Potter. You may be wondering why, but I assure you that he would have no ulterior motives behind it. In fact, he seems to be a well – mannered, kind boy. Hardly what one would expect after being raised in such a rowdy – not to mention enormously famous – family.

His cousin is a different matter altogether. She appears to share her own father's thoughts on the Malfoy family, and her attitude somewhat reminds me of your own, dad, whenever you see or talk to a Potter or Weasley. She's not done anything harmful or particularly hurtful, besides a few snide comments about my family, beliefs, et cetera.

Dad, I have received no word from grandmother or grandfather.

Your son,

_Scorpius Malfoy _

**September 3****rd****, 2017**

My Dear Scorpius,

Congratulations on making it into Hufflepuff House! I always knew you were a badger at heart. You're my loyal, trustworthy little boy and your father and I are so proud of you. You grew up much too fast for my liking. Your father is in agreement with me, even if he won't admit it. We miss you so much already, we can barely imagine how long the wait until Christmas will be.

Your letter was very unsatisfactory! Tell me about your friends, who have you met? Do your teachers seem nice, now that you've had some of your classes? Are any of the other Houses picking on you? I hope you're being safe and you're finishing your assignments on time. Merlin forbid if your father heard you were taking after Mr. Weasley when he was your age. Your father tells me horrid stories about him being yelled at quite often for skiving off on his work. Merlin only knows how that man passed his Auror Examination Test.

We received a letter from Professor Longbottom – your father was a little miffed at that – and he informed us that you'll be staring your sessions next Tuesday. Remember to be respectful and courteous, he's doing us a very kind favor. Also, learn as much as you can, but ease into it. There is such a thing as overusing your magic.

Your father wishes you well and says only to keep him informed and be safe. Take no unneeded risks and think of yourself before others, though I hope that doesn't go against your nature as a Hufflepuff too much.

With all my love,

_Astoria Malfoy_

**September 1****st****, 2017**

Dear Dad and Mum,

Hello! I really hope you didn't get that letter the school sent yet, but if you did, I'm soooo sorry! If not, I'm in Slytherin. Yes, I, Albus Severus Potter, was sorted into the snake pit. It was a very awkward predicament when the Hat shouted it, because James and Fred were already ready to cheer for me, but when they realized it said Slytherin, no one did anything. They didn't start clapping (really quietly) until I was already stepping down from the platform. And before that, I made a fool of myself and tripped, and the Hat fell off my head onto the floor. There has to be a law saying that's illegal or something.

It didn't get much better after that. Everyone, even people not in my new House, were staring at me. It was really freaky. But I did meet one kid who seemed okay. He was sorted right before me – well, two before, Scorpius was after him – and he said that his dad knew you guys and Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione in school. His name is Keenan, his dad is Ernie Macmillan. Ring any bells?

The Common Room is really weird! All of the seats are really uncomfortable, and it reminds me of those pictures you (mum) showed James, Lily, and I of pureblood houses. The whole place was very stiff and proper, but it also had a sort of homey feeling, so I guess it'll do. It even glows green because we're under the Black Lake!

Speaking of the Black Lake, did Uncle Neville tell you Alice fell in yet! She was standing in the boat because she got seasick and then she lost her balance and plopped right in! It scared the dickens out of Rose and Hagrid and Frank and I, but luckily Scorpius and the Giant Squid were there. Scorpius saved Alice because she hit her head and the grindylows – Hagrid said something about forgetting to feed them – had pulled her down. Scorpius went in after her and he got them away from her, but then they got him so the Squid had to help out. Thankfully, they're both safe, but they gave us quite a scare.

One last thing. Do you know why Rose is being so mean to Scorpius? I know he's a Malfoy, but he looks like a nice guy to me.

Sorry if you're upset I didn't get into Gryffindor.

_Al_

**September 5****th****, 2017**

Dear Albus,

Hello, Albus, it's your dad, though your mum's looking over my shoulder as I write this. Bit nosy, isn't she? Ah…and violent; she just swatted me. Sorry we took a while to get back to you (no doubt you were sweating in the suspense, eh?), but I was called in on a last minute mission and told your mum not to write to you without me – meaning: I wasn't going to let her write some baby coddling letter to you. You're old enough to not have to be fussed over in every sentence. Ah, yet another swat. I'm abused, Albus, I'm telling you.

Anyway! How can you think your mum and I wouldn't be proud if you hadn't gotten into Gryffindor? Slytherin is a very respectable and highly academic House, you should be proud to be sorted there. You have to write all about these things in your letter. What's new? Friends? Enemies? Your mum says your too young for enemies, but I had one since I was one, so I think she's being a bit overprotective.

Your mum says that if there are Slytherins in your House or dorm who might wish harm on you, she wants you to go to Headmistress McGonagall and either ask for a room where you'll be sleeping with those you trust, or for the teachers to keep you apart from them during classes. Don't hesitate or hold off until the last minute when they start getting violent. Believe me when I tell you that some Slytherins know some pretty nasty hexes.

What's this about Scorpius Malfoy saving our little Alice from drowning? Are you completely certain it was him you saw? Has your eyesight been troubling you lately? Just because my handicap it skipped James doesn't mean it's going to skip you and Lils.

I think Rose has a perfectly explainable reason for disliking the young Malfoy. After what the boy's father put myself and your aunt and uncle through in our years at Hogwarts, I'm sure your Uncle Ron has passed on some not-so-flattering stories to Rose. Your mum is telling me to add that Scorpius himself may be a nice boy (so along with abusing, your mum's barmy too!) Rose sees what her dad told her to see. Don't encourage her, but it might be best not to get in the middle of it either.

We hope you're having a good time, and your mum wants you to write to her three times a week. I'm fine with one, but you know her…

Tell us how your flying lessons went!

Love,

_Dad and Mum_

**September 3****rd****, 2017**

Dear Mum,

Oh, I wish you were here, mum! I'm having a terrible time. I apologize for not writing to you sooner, but I had an…accident during the feast on the first night, and then I was so busy studying and completing assignments the next day I forgot to write. I assume Madame Flora has sent home a letter informing you and dad that I had a mild concussion. I'm fine now, but my nerves are all in haywire because I'm in SLYTHERIN!

Ahem, sorry. I don't know what came over me just then. I am thoroughly discouraged by this fact, however, on how my next seven years at Hogwarts will progress. Can you imagine, me, Rose Weasley, being in Slytherin. The Common Room is horrible. The beds, albeit, are comfortable, but the whole place is dark and morbid. Why in the world would anyone put a Common Room in a dungeon? Just saying it makes me feel like I'm going to be tortured at any moment.

Please don't be upset with me for being in this terrible House. I wrote you instead of dad because I bet he's already lost his temper at least five times since he received the school owl. I would appreciate it if you could calm him down so when I return home at Christmas without fear of being called a dirty snake, or some such nonsense.

Al is also in Slytherin, which I suppose is a miniscule relief. He seems set on the opinion that not all Slytherins are bad, and is now attempting to make me believe it. I must admit that some of my roommates and others in my year are not _horrible_, but I don't think they're good either. I've only met one fairly decent girl by the name of Loretta Turpin. She's quiet, sweet, and doesn't seem very Slytherin-y at all. I think the Sorting Hat is getting too old for its job. Maybe if they replace it they could get a glove or sock instead.

One last thing before lights-out; Scorpius Malfoy. He 'saved' Alice's life, was sorted into Hufflepuff (the poor House), and is now apparently friends with Alice _and_ Albus. He is an endless grate on my self-control and I _know_ it's all an act. I bet his father put him up to it, though for what reason I'm not sure yet.

Be safe,

_Rose Nymphadora Weasley_

**September 4****th****, 2017**

Rose,

Although I can't speak for your dad, I'm not upset in the least that your were put into Slytherin. If it helps, I like to think of Houses as four different mindsets. Slytherin's mindset is just a little more sneaky or, as your granddad likes to say, 'under the radar.'

We did receive Madame Flora's letter, and needless to say were quite worried about you. It's good to hear you're in good health.

Your dad has actually only had one tantrum so far, so let's cross our fingers and see what awaits us at Christmas. And if he does decide to be a nuisance then, I'll deal with him.

As for the Malfoy boy, I suggest you not be so harsh with him. He's bound to have had some harsh times in the past, and due to his family he'll probably have many, many more ahead. Perhaps Albus and Alice are right to become his friend. I have no suspicion whatsoever toward the boy and his father, and if he saved Alice's life, how can I hold something he hasn't done himself against him. How can you?

I'm sorry for the shortness of my reply, but I have to head off to work now. Much work to be done!

Open your mind to new possibilities, Rose. We are no longer in the midst of a war, no matter what your father says.

With love,

_Mum_

',','OFL',','

_You're invited to_

_Shannon Thomas'_

_Back to School Party_

Only the coolest wizards and witches are attending, so if you somehow ended up with one of these amazing invitations, what are you waiting for?

Come on down to Room 24 on the first floor and be sure to be dressed casual, but classy.

Food and refreshments will be served and a private band will also be attending.

Come at: 7:45

Bring: Your sporty, attractive, or famous self!

Band: _We Rock the Castle_

Required to enter: This invitation and _awesomeness._

You must: Provide your own way back to your Dorm if the party runs after curfew; what _great_ party wouldn't!

',','OFL',','

_Lucifer,_

_The mark's location is known. Three up, two across, four in. Disturbed earlier. Disturbance known: five; two dark, one red, one yellow, one white. White harmed. White in care. Object unharmed, five know location. Quiet: likely. Intervention: unlikely. Estimated time secret hidden: one. Estimated time penetration: one. Problem. Solution unknown. Option: harm four, extract white. Opinion?_

_Identity unknown. Charmed owl. Safe._

_Ezekiel_


End file.
